Blood In, Blood Out
by Sparkle731
Summary: Starsky and Hutch travel to New York when Starsky's brother, Nicky, dies under suspicious circumstances. Although I do not consider this a crossover story, a major character from another series makes an appearance. Final Chapter posted.
1. Chapter 1

**BLOOD IN, BLOOD OUT**

**Starsky and Hutch travel to New York when Starsky's brother, Nicky, dies under suspicious circumstances. Although I do not consider this a crossover story, a major character from another series makes an appearance.**

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay in posting. Real life has been chaotic lately. I have temporary custody of my granddaughter's newborn and it's been quite a while since there's been a new baby around the house. LOL **

**CHAPTER 1**

Ken Hutchinson, known as Hutch to his friends, sat on the sofa strumming his guitar as he relaxed from a long day at work. His job as a detective with the Bay City Police Department was challenging and demanding. It had its rewards but it also had its drawbacks. One of those drawbacks was the lack of time for a social life. Marriages and personal relationships were often sacrificed when duty called.

There was a soft knock at the front door. Hutch glanced up as his partner and best friend, David Starsky, opened the door and stepped into the apartment. The two men were as different in appearance as they were in temperament. Hutch had the lean muscular build of an athlete with the long legs of a runner. His blond hair, fair skin and ice blue eyes reflected his Nordic heritage. To most people he appeared cold and arrogant. But, that was just his way of covering up his natural shyness and awkwardness.

Starsky was the direct opposite of his partner. His lean, muscular build was more compact with a broader chest and wider shoulders. His dark curly hair, deep blue eyes and olive toned complexion was passed down from his Slavic ancestors. Unlike his college educated partner, he was a product of the streets who had received his higher education courtesy of Uncle Sam and the jungles of Viet Nam.

One look at the grief stricken look on Starsky's face brought Hutch to his feet immediately. Instinctively, he reached out and pulled Starsky against his chest in a comforting embrace. The physical closeness they displayed towards each other set them apart from their peers but, for them, touch was just another unique way of communicating.

"What's wrong, buddy?" Hutch asked in the soft gentle voice he reserved solely for his partner. "What happened?"

"Ma…" Starsky's muffled voice said against the soft fabric of Hutch's shirt.

"Did something happen to your mom?" Hutch asked in a deeply concerned voice. He knew how close Starsky was to his mother despite the distance that separated them.

Hutch felt Starsky shake his head. "Not Ma," Starsky told him in a ragged voice. "Nicky's dead." Hutch felt the shudder that ran through Starsky's slender frame even as he said the words.

"Dead?" Hutch repeated in a stunned voice "Nicky?" Nick Starsky was his partner's younger brother who still lived in New York with his mother, Rachel. Hutch may not care for the man but he had never wished him any harm. "What happened?"

"All Ma knew was that he was found in an alley not far from the house. He'd been beaten to death. The police aren't sure if it was a mugging or some sort of gang attack." Starsky pulled away from his partner and began to pace around the living room.

Hutch silently watched his partner's agitated movements. He knew that the naturally hyperactive brunet needed to work off some of his tension and frustration. Despite his estrangement from his only sibling, Nicky was still blood and Starsky needed to vent his grief.

"Have you called Dobey?" Hutch asked quietly. Starsky shook his head without pausing in his restless pacing. Hutch nodded in sympathetic understanding and walked over to the phone on the end table. He picked up the receiver and dialed his commanding officer's home number.

After three rings, a high pitched childish voice said breathlessly, "Dobey residence."

Hutch smiled "Hey, Rosie," he said immediately recognizing the voice of Captain Dobey's nine year old daughter. "Can I speak to the Captain, please?"

"Sure, Uncle Hutch," Rosie said brightly. She was fond of both detectives and affectionately called both of them 'uncle'. She was a spirited and precocious child who was blessed with a maturity far beyond her years. There was a muffled thud as she laid down the receiver. In the background, Hutch heard her yell, "Daddy! Uncle Ken is on the phone!"

A few minutes later, Captain Dobey's gruff voice came over the line, "Hutchinson?"

"Hi, Cap. I'm calling for Starsky,' Hutch explained the reason for his call. "He's gonna need some time off. His mom called and told him that his brother died."

"Tell him he has our sympathies," Dobey's voice softened as he spoke. "I'll put him on compassionate leave effective immediately. Tell him to take as much time as he needs." There was a pause and then Dobey added, "Do you need some time off too?"

Hutch glanced across the room at his partner. Starsky had stopped pacing and was slumped on the sofa with his face buried in his hands. He made an immediate decision based on their friendship and Starsky's emotional needs. "Yeah," he said "I'm going with him."

"All right. I'll take both of you off the roster for two weeks. Let me know if you need any more time than that." Dobey said.

"Thanks, Cap." Hutch said gratefully. Although Dobey had the reputation of being a tough boss it was a fact that Starsky and Hutch were not only his prize team of detectives but, that he had a soft spot in his heart for the pair and that he had bent the rules for them more than once. Hutch hung up the phone and turned to face Starsky. "Dobey gave us two weeks off."

Starsky dropped his hands and looked at his partner his eyes gleaming with unshed tears. A wobbly smile tugged at his lips as he shot Hutch a pleading look "You're coming with me. Right?"

"Of course I am." Hutch reassured him with an affectionate smile. "I'll call the airport and see how soon I can get us on a flight to New York." He immediately turned back to the phone. Ten minutes later Hutch had two seats booked on

a red-eye flight to New York.

After completing their travel arrangements, Hutch brewed a fresh pot of coffee and poured a cup for Starsky. He added plenty of cream and sugar just the way the brunet preferred. Starsky flashed Hutch a ghost of a smile as he accepted the cup and took a cautious sip.

"Let me pack some things and then we'll head over to your place," Hutch said as he gave Starsky's shoulder a comforting squeeze. Starsky nodded absently lost in his own thoughts for the moment. Hutch turned and walked into his sleeping alcove. He pulled a suitcase out of the closet and laid it on the bed. Opening it, he began to pack. He remembered to pack some of his heavier clothes. It would be chilly in New York since it was still early March.

He finished in record time and shut the suitcase. Picking it up, he carried it into the living room and sat it down beside the front door. "Ready to go?" he said quietly as if speaking too loudly would startle Starsky.

"Yeah, I guess…" Starsky said with a heavy sigh as he sat his empty cup on the coffee table. He slowly rose to his feet and followed Hutch out the door with heavy steps. They walked down the enclosed stairway to the street level. Squinting against the glare of the setting sun, Starsky walked over to his car, a distinctive looking Ford Torino painted candle apple red with a broad white stripe that ran across the roof and down both sides of the vehicle.

He was parked in front of Hutch's latest old beater, a battered silver Ford with cream colored front fenders and a variety of dents. The two men climbed into their cars and Hutch followed Starsky through the early evening traffic to the brunet's apartment.

Starsky lived across town from Hutch's Venice Place apartment. His apartment was in a secluded neighborhood in the foothills that surrounded the city. It was quiet and peaceful but still close enough to all the amenities of the city to satisfy the inbred city boy in Starsky.

Starsky pulled into his driveway and Hutch parked behind him. The two men climbed out of their vehicles and walked up the short flight of steps leading to the deck that bordered the front of Starsky's apartment. Starsky unlocked the front door and they went inside. It was cool and dim inside the apartment. Starsky reached out and flipped the switch beside the front door that lit the lamps sitting on end tables at either end of the sofa.

"I'll be ready in a few…" Starsky mumbled as he walked into his bedroom to pack. He pulled a battered olive drab duffle bag out of the closet and tossed it on the bed. Unzipping the bag he began stuffing it with shirts, jeans, and clean underwear without really paying attention to what he was packing. He walked into the adjoining bathroom and gathered up his shaving kit. He stowed it in the duffle and zipped it shut. Slinging the strap over his shoulder, he rejoined Hutch in the living room. "Let's go…" he said flatly as he walked through the front door. Hutch followed him in silence.

Without exchanging a word they automatically climbed into Hutch's car for the drive to the airport. Hutch knew that Starsky would never leave his precious car in the long term parking lot at the airport until they returned. Starsky leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes as Hutch backed into the street.

The drive to the airport was made in silence. Hutch pulled into the long term parking lot and parked in a space near the back. The two men grabbed their bags from the back seat and walked across the vast parking lot to the entrance to the large, busy terminal. Even though it was almost ten o'clock at night the building was milling with passengers arriving from incoming flights and passengers departing for various destinations. Business men in three piece suits mingled with harried mothers carrying crying children, chattering teenagers in revealing clothes, couples on vacation, tourists visiting the city for the first time and the occasional airport hooker looking for a quick trick.

They made their way to the proper counter and picked up their tickets. They still had over an hour before their flight left so they decided to stop at one of the snack bars in the terminal complex. Neither one of them had an appetite so they simply ordered coffee.

Starsky sighed and stared down into his cup. "I can't believe he's dead…"

"I know. We'll find out what happened when we get there," Hutch told him "Maybe it was just a mugging."

"Yeah…and maybe I'll win the lottery." Starsky said with a snort. He raised his head and looked at Hutch solemnly. "We both know what kind of stuff Nicky was into."

"You think maybe he stepped on the wrong toes?"

"Or tried to pull one scam too many," Starsky said in a resigned tone. Despite his loyalty to his family he had no illusions about Nicky's lifestyle or the possible reasons for his death.

"How's your mom holding up?" Hutch asked in a concerned voice. He genuinely cared about Rachel Starsky. She had unofficially adopted him as her third son the day they met.

"As well as can be expected I guess,"

"She's been through a lot."

"Yeah, first pop, then me and now Nicky." A bitter tone crept into Starsky's voice "I don't know how much more she can take,"

"You'll be there to help her get through it."

"And you'll be there to take care of both of us," Starsky said with a thin smile. Hutch returned the smile at Starsky's veiled reference to Hutch's tendency to become a mother hen where Starsky was concerned. He finished his coffee and shoved his cup to one side. "We better go before the plane takes off without us."

Hutch tossed some bills on the table and they left the snack bar. Thirty minutes later they were in the air and on their way to New York.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Both men were tired and irritable when the plane landed in New York almost five hours later. They had been too wired to sleep on the flight and the lack of sleep was catching up with them. Outside the terminal, they climbed into one of the yellow cabs parked in front of the building waiting for fares.

"6324 Washington Avenue in Brooklyn," Starsky told the driver, deliberately exaggerating his New York accent. With a smirk he added, "And take the bridge not the scenic route."

Hutch saw the driver's scowl as he pulled away from the curb with a sudden jerk that threw Starsky and Hutch back in their seat. It was obvious that the driver thought that he'd picked up a couple of tourists that he could scam for the extra fare. Starsky's instructions to take the bridge had ruined those plans. The downtown streets were congested and it took over an hour to reach their destination.

After exiting the cab, Starsky handed the driver the fare minus any tip. The man squealed his tires in protest as he sped away. Hutch couldn't help grinning at his partner. With a few pointed gestures, Starsky had put the driver in his place. Carrying their bags, they turned to walk towards the small two story house where Starsky had spent his formative years.

Almost immediately the front door flew open and Rachel Starsky burst through the doorway. With a muffled cry, she threw herself into her eldest son's arms. Starsky let his duffle bag fall to the ground as he wrapped his arms around his mother's waist and held her tight. A sob escaped her throat as Rachel buried her face against his chest. Hutch quietly stood to one side as mother and son comforted each other in their mutual grief.

After several minutes, Rachel pulled herself out of her son's embrace and composed herself. "Come in, come in," she said "You two must be exhausted after such a long flight." She led the way into the house and closed the door behind them.

Hutch could see the red eyes and the tired, drawn lines on Rachel's otherwise youthful face. But, he could also see the strong will reflected in those dark blue eyes that looked so much like her eldest son. Rachel smiled at Hutch and said. "Ken, I'm glad that you could come too…" she reached out and laid a gentle hand on his arm. "Why don't you boys lie down for awhile and try to get some sleep. There will be plenty of time for us to talk later."

"Not now, Ma," Starsky said grimly. "I want to know what happened."

"Later," his mother answered in a firm tone. "You two need to rest for now and I think that I might lie down for a couple of hours myself…"

"All right…" Starsky said reluctantly "But, we will talk about this later." There was a familiar stubborn tilt to his chin that both Hutch and his mother knew intimately.

Rachel nodded and made a shooing motion with her hands as she gave Starsky an indulgent smile. As she turned to walk to her downstairs bedroom, Starsky and Hutch gathered up their bags and started to climb the steps to the second floor. Starsky went into the room at the head of the steps. There was a second bedroom at the opposite end of the hall that had been used as a guest room when Starsky was younger but, after he was sent to Bay City, Nicky had claimed it for his own.

Starsky's childhood bedroom hadn't changed much in twenty years. Posters still hung on the wall and a wooden bat rested in one corner of the room. A framed photograph of Starsky and Nicky as children sat on a nearby dresser. The twin beds in the room were covered with matching cowboy bedspreads. Hutch knew from the stories that Starsky had told him about his childhood that, as a child, Nicky had idolized his older brother. Hutch could almost close his eyes and imagine Starsky spending most of his youth in this room tormenting Nicky as only an older brother can and sharing secrets that only brothers can share.

Starsky dropped his duffle bag to the floor just inside the doorway and threw himself down across the closest bed face down. He was asleep almost immediately exhausted both emotionally and physically. Hutch lay down on the second bed but was too restless to sleep. He held his own weariness in check through sheer will power. After tossing and turning for almost an hour, he finally gave up trying to rest and left the room so he wouldn't disturb his slumbering partner.

He went downstairs and into the kitchen where he rummaged through the cabinets and refrigerator. He put on a fresh pot of coffee and put together a light lunch. A simple salad and sandwiches. He doubted if anyone would feel much like eating but he at least made the gesture. He put the food in the refrigerator and poured himself a cup of coffee. He carried it into the living room but detoured to the front door when the doorbell rang.

He opened the door to find two men and two women standing on the stoop. From their dark hair and olive complexions, Hutch assumed that they were members of the extended Starsky clan that still lived in New York.

"I'm Levi Starsky," one of the men said as he eyed Hutch with mild curiosity. "We're here to see Rachel."

"Please come in. I'm Ken Hutchinson." Hutch said as he stepped to one side so they could enter the house. "I'm David's partner on the police force in Bay City. Rachel's resting right now but I can see if she's awake."

"No, let her rest." One of the women said as the two couples stepped inside. She smiled warmly "I'm Levi's wife, Ruth, and this is Jacob Goldstein, Rachel's brother, and his wife, Naomi. Rachel has told us all about you. She's very proud of David."

Hutch smiled pleasantly and acknowledged the introductions. "It's nice to meet all of you. I'm just sorry that it couldn't have been under different circumstances."

"So are we," the man identified as Jacob said. "Such a waste…Nicholi always was a handful."

"Jacob," his wife scolded him gently. "You must not speak ill of the dead,"

"It's true and you know it," Jacob insisted gruffly. "All Nicholas ever did was to cause trouble and treat Rachel badly."

"That may be true," Levi agreed "But, this is neither the time nor the place to talk about Nicholi's shortcomings."

"The rabbi will be here soon," Ruth said in a thinly veiled attempt to change the subject. "I should go see if Rachel is up to speaking with him," She excused herself and walked back towards Rachel's bedroom. She tapped lightly on the door before opening it and disappearing inside.

Hutch decided that it was time to make his excuses and go back upstairs. This was a time for family and he felt out of place. He went back upstairs. As quietly as possible he opened the bedroom door and stepped into the room closing the door behind him. He turned around to find his partner's sapphire eyes watching him intently.

"Hey," Hutch greeted him with a smile. "Feel better?"

"Not really…" Starsky said as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up on the edge of the mattress. He dry washed a hand over his face. The brief nap had done little to relieve his exhaustion. "What time is it?"

"You've been asleep for a couple of hours." Hutch told him "It's almost eleven. Some of your family is downstairs with your mom."

"Think I'll stay up here for awhile then," Starsky said with a thin smile. "I'm not ready to deal with all of them just yet,"

"You're gonna have to face 'em sooner or later." Hutch reminded him with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Yeah…well, I'll take later." Starsky said somberly. He stood up and walked over to grab his duffle bag from the floor. Laying it on the bed, he unzipped it and rummaged through it for some clean clothes. "I'm gonna take a shower," he told Hutch as he gathered up his clothes and left the room.

Hutch grabbed his own suitcase and laid it on the bed. Opening the lid, he sorted out some clean clothing for himself deciding that a shower sounded good. He didn't know how long they were going to be in New York but, he knew that it wasn't going to be a peaceful vacation. He had never attended a Jewish funeral before so he wasn't quite sure what to expect during the next few days. He knew from previous late night conversations with Starsky that Jewish custom was to bury the deceased as soon as possible and that there was seven days of mourning following the burial. But, since Nicky had died under suspicious circumstances the burial would have to be postponed until after the state required autopsy.

Twenty minutes later Starsky came back into the room toweling his wet curls. He looked refreshed but there were still stress lines around his eyes and the edges of his mouth. He sat down on the bed with a heavy sigh as he continued drying his hair.

"I want to talk to the officers in charge of Nicky's case," his muffled voice said from beneath the towel.

"And we will," Hutch told him. "But, not today. Your mom needs you right now."

"Yeah, I know." Starsky said in a weary voice. He looked at his partner with a dejected expression. "This sucks, Hutch…it really sucks."

"I know, buddy. I know." Hutch said. He sat down on the bed beside Starsky and put an arm around his shoulders. Starsky leaned his head against Hutch and closed his eyes, feeling safe and comforted by his partner's calming presence.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

As much as he might have liked to Starsky knew that he couldn't avoid interacting with his extended family indefinitely. With Hutch by his side he slowly walked down the stairs. Glancing around as they entered the living room, Hutch noticed that more family members had arrived in his absence. He also noticed that a mirror in the entranceway had been covered with a black cloth and that a graduation picture of Nicky sitting on the mantel had been adorned with a black ribbon looped around one corner of the frame.

Starsky cordially greeted several family members as he made his way to his mother's side. Rachel was sitting on the sofa with Naomi beside her. Naomi smiled and rose to her feet surrendering her place at Rachel's side to Starsky. Hutch stood quietly in the background as mother and son leaned towards each other talking softly in subdued tones.

Several family members acknowledged Hutch's presence with a nod and a smile. They didn't seem to question his right to be there so Hutch assumed that they already knew who he was and that he was there at Starsky's request.

Starsky kissed his mother gently on the cheek and stood up crossing the room to join his partner. In a quiet voice he told Hutch,

"The coroner is releasing the body in the morning," He looked at Hutch with grim determination, "I want to see Nicky before then."

"Are you sure you wanna do that?" Hutch asked in a concerned voice.

"I'm sure," Starsky insisted in a gruff voice. "It's something I have to do…for me…and for Nicky."

Hutch nodded in mute understanding. "When do you wanna do it?"

"Now is as good a time as any. Ma's well taken care of until I get back."

"Okay. Let's go." Hutch said agreeably.

"I'll call a cab." Starsky said as he turned to head towards the phone sitting on a stand in the corner of the room. Over his shoulder he said to Hutch, "We need to rent a car while we're here. It'll be easier and cheaper."

"We can take care of that after we talk to the coroner." Hutch told him.

Forty-five minutes later the two men entered the basement level of the downtown building where the coroner's office was located. Hutch found himself wondering if it was customary for every coroner across the country to be hidden away in the basement. The lighting in the hallway was dim and subdued from lower wattage bulbs. Even the smell in the air was the same. A combination of chemical odors mixed with the underlying odor of death. The air was also noticeably colder than the temperature in the rest of the building.

Starsky paused for a moment, drawing a deep breath and exhaling slowly before pushing open the door to the morgue. Five metal tables stood in the middle of the room and a series of metal doors were built into the wall across the room. Each door was marked with a number. Near the bottom of each door was a space for a card that held identifying information for each victim..

An elderly man with gray hair and a deeply lined face looked up from a partially autopsied body lying on one of the tables. He was dressed in stained olive green scrubs and was wearing goggles to protect his eyes.

"You must be Mr. Starsky," he said in a deep raspy voice that showed the ravages of years of heavy smoking.

"Yes. And this is my partner, Ken Hutchinson," Starsky told him as he cordially offered the other man his hand.

"I'm Doctor Pierce," The other man said with a smile as he pulled off his plastic gloves and shook Starsky's hand firmly. "I finished the autopsy on your brother a couple of hours ago." He shook his head as he led the way to one of the metal doors. "Nasty business…one of the worst beatings I've seen in quite a while. Whoever did this wanted to make sure that he suffered before he died." He opened the door letting out a blast of cold air from the refrigerated unit. Reaching inside, he slid out a metal rack that held a shroud covered body.

Hutch automatically reached out and clasped Starsky's shoulder in a consoling gesture as Doctor Pierce reached down and pulled back the sheet. The only thing recognizable about Nick Starsky was the height, build and the headful of dark curls. The face was nothing but bruised, swollen and torn tissue. More bruises covered every visible part of the body.

Starsky looked at the body of his only sibling almost impassively but Hutch could feel the involuntary tightening of the muscles in the bunched up shoulders of his friend. With a slightly trembling hand, Starsky reached out and pulled the sheet down farther, exposing Nicky's chest and abdomen. The ring finger and the pinky had been hacked off of Nicky's left hand.

"Almost every bone in his body was broken with massive damage to his face and skull. Death was due to trauma resulting in massive internal hemorrhaging and brain damage. Someone definitely wanted him dead." Doctor Pierce said in a somber tone.

"They were sending a message," Starsky said in a flat, toneless voice. "And it came through loud and clear." He had seen enough. He gently pulled the sheet back up over Nicky's battered face. The doctor slid the rack back into the wall and closed the door securely.

"Thank you for your time, Doctor," Hutch said as he reached out to shake the doctor's hand. "We appreciate the courtesy."

"Anytime," Doctor Pierce said off-handedly. "I'm sorry we couldn't have met under different circumstances."

"So am I," Hutch said as he turned to guide a strangely subdued Starsky out of the room. He held his tongue until they had left the building, then he stopped and looked at his partner questioningly. "Okay, give," He said "What just happened back there?"

"It wasn't a mugging…it was an execution," Starsky said, barely controlled anger clear in his voice. It was a tone that Starsky usually reserved for the worst of the scum they dealt with in their everyday lives. "And it's my fault…"

"How the hell do you figure that?" Hutch demanded "You haven't seen or talked to Nicky since he came out to Bay City three years ago. And we both know what he was into then…god only knows what he's gotten himself into since then."

"I need to find out what Nicky's been up to lately," Starsky said "And I've got an old friend on the force here who might help…if I can get him to talk to me." He began walking down the sidewalk with long determined strides leaving Hutch hurrying to catch up.

Hutch resigned himself to letting the conversation go for now. He knew that Starsky wouldn't tell him anything else until he was ready to. If Hutch tried to push him for more information before he was ready then the brunet would just clam up and refuse to talk. Despite trusting each with their lives there were still parts of Starsky's past that he refused to talk about.

Starsky walked two blocks north until he reached a car rental agency where he stopped. Ten minutes later, the two friends left with Starsky happily sitting behind the wheel of a midnight blue mustang. Instead of heading back to the Starsky home in Brooklyn Starsky drove to an eight-story building in downtown Manhattan. He pulled into the visitor's parking lot and the two friends climbed out of the car.

The building was relatively new with freshly painted walls, unstained carpeting and lots of windows but, the main lobby still resembled every other police department Hutch had ever been in. A line of chairs stood along one wall and a high wooden counter divided the room in half. Uniformed officers mingled with men and women in plains clothes as they went about their daily routines. Starsky walked up to the duty sergeant seated behind the divider and asked for directions to the Crime Scene Investigations Unit. After examining Starsky's California identification and badge, the duty sergeant directed him to the sixth floor.

CSI Units were a relatively new division of major police departments around the country. The CSI Unit of the Detective Division was a specialized section consisting of several units working within the framework of a modern crime laboratory using cutting edge techniques. The units were staffed with specially trained investigators. It was their job to investigate crime scenes to discover, develop, collect and evaluate physical evidence.

Like any other squad room in any other police department around the country, the CSI unit was a scene of controlled chaos. Loud voices, ringing phones, and men and women rushing around attending to various tasks. An attractive woman in her mid-thirties with long dark hair walked over to the two men with a welcoming smile.

"I'm Detective Bonasera. May I help you gentlemen with something?" she asked in a friendly, cordial voice.

"I'm looking for Danny Messer," Starsky said with a flirtatious smile that was second nature to the brunet when he was talking to an attractive woman. "I'm an old friend from California."

"Who should I tell him is here?" she asked, a hint of warmth creeping into her smile as she succumbed to Starsky's natural charm and machismo.

"David Starsky."

"Wait here," Detective Bonasera said "And I'll see if Danny is available."

Starsky and Hutch watched the fetching sway of her hips as she walked away. It was only a few minutes before Hutch saw a man approximately their age walking towards them. He had short, neatly trimmed brown hair and wore gold wire rimmed glasses. He was casually dressed in blue jeans, a cream colored tee shirt and a blue denim jacket. The expression on his face was not very welcoming as he approached Starsky.

"Well, well, well…" He said in a sarcastic voice "Davy Starsky…" He scowled at the brunet "I'm surprised you had the guts to show up here. What's a big shot California cop like you doing here anyway? Slumming?"

"I need your help," Starsky said curtly ignoring the other man's surliness. "Nicky was murdered."

"I'm sorry," Danny said, his tone softening slightly. Some of the tension left his body. "I didn't know. How's your mom holding up?"

"As well as can be expected," Starsky told him "Somebody really did a number on him. It looks like they worked him over with baseball bats or lead pipes." He paused and then added "They cut off the ring finger and the pinky on his left hand."

"Uh..uh.." Danny muttered as he slowly shook his head from side to side. "I can see where you're going with this and I don't like it. You're thinking Tanglewood Boys…"

"That's their calling card and you know it as well as I do," Starsky said in a slightly heated tone.

Danny glanced at Hutch pointedly. "Maybe we should go somewhere more private to talk about this."

"This is my partner and best friend, Ken Hutchinson," Starsky told him firmly. "He goes where I go. Anything we have to say we can say in front of him."

"We still need to talk about this someplace else." Danny said just as firmly. "I get off in a couple of hours. How about meeting me at Dragos around five?"

"Okay. See ya then," Starsky agreed with a solemn nod. Danny nodded back and turned to walk away. Starsky and Hutch left the squad room and walked down the hallway to the elevator. Hutch waited until the doors had closed before asking, "So, you gonna tell me who the Tanglewood Boys are or not?'

"They're a local gang that I used to hang with before Ma sent me to California," Starsky said "Danny's older brother was a member so they used to let us hang around."

"What's that got to do with Nicky?"

"Maybe nothing…maybe an old score that needs to be settled once and for all," Starsky told him gruffly "One way or another it's time to end it…" The elevator doors slid open and Starsky stepped out. He walked towards the entrance with firm determined steps confident that Hutch would follow.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Dragos was a neighborhood bar similar to Starsky and Hutch's regular hangout back home. There was a jukebox, a pool table, a couple of pinball machines and several booths along one wall. The lighting was dim and the air was heavy with smoke. Starsky walked to a booth at the far end of the room and slid in on the side of the booth facing the front entrance. Hutch slid in beside him. An average looking redhead wearing a revealing tank top and short shorts walked over to their table. "What can I get you fellas?" she said in a bored tone.

"Two drafts," Hutch said ordering for them both. He struggled to hold back a sneeze. Up close the woman's perfume was almost overwhelming. The redhead nodded and walked away with an exaggerated swing to her hips. Hutch waved his hand in front of his face to dispel the aroma of the perfume. "So this Danny's an old friend of yours?"

"Yeah," Starsky replied. "We grew up together…lived in the same neighborhood." He wasn't avoiding Hutch's questions but he wasn't volunteering any additional information either. Hutch patiently continued to dig.

"So, then what happened between the two of you that made you think he might not want to talk to you?" Hutch questioned.

"A falling out with the gang," Starsky said his voice taking on an evasive tone. "Me…not Danny."

"Is that why your mom sent you away?"

"That's one of the reasons."

Their conversation was interrupted by Danny's arrival. He slid in across from them and ordered a draft of his own from the redhead when she walked up to the table to give Starsky and Hutch their drinks. They waited until she returned with Danny's drink before resuming their conversation.

"So, what do you want from me, Davy?" Danny asked in a tight voice as he took a long swallow of his beer and slouched back in his seat mimicking Starsky's relaxed sprawl.

"I need to know what Nicky was into…if he did something to cross the gang…or if this was more personal." Starsky answered as he took a swallow of his own drink and then setting the mug back down on the table with a soft thud. Hutch leaned back in his seat and remained silent letting his partner guide the conversation.

"You're talking about payback…after all these years…" Danny said ruefully. It was not so much a question as it was a statement of fact.

"We both know that the gang never forgets and that nobody leaves the gang unless the gang says so,"

"Ice is still the head honcho and he always has been one to hold grudges," Danny said quietly. He sighed heavily as he locked eyes with Starsky. "I'll see what I can find out about Nicky but that's all I'm promising. Where are you staying? Your mom's?"

"Yeah. You can reach me there. Same number…same address."

"When's Nicky's service?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

"I'll try to come and pay my respects. Tell your mom she has my sympathies," Danny said as he finished his beer. He stood up and walked away without a backward glance. As soon as he was out of earshot, Hutch looked at his partner and said,

"Okay, Buddy…just what did you do to piss off this gang?"

"What makes you think I did anything?" Starsky countered with a thin smile. He finished his beer and shoved the mug aside.

"Because I'm a damn good detective…and because I know you." Hutch replied dryly with a gentle smile in his partner's direction to take the bite out of his words. He took the last drink of his own beer and set the mug on the table.

"I messed up and a couple of gang members got sent up for a long time," Starsky said "One of them was Danny's brother."

"So the gang went after you for screwing up?"

"They beat the hell out of me and threw me off a four story building," Starsky said "I would have been killed if there hadn't been a dumpster full of old carpeting in the alley below me." Hutch had always known that Starsky had a fear of heights. Now he understood why. He waited for Starsky to continue but the brunet remained silent.

"So your Ma sent you away to keep something else from happening to you," Hutch said filling in the blanks on his own. He dropped an arm to the back of the booth behind Starsky. It was a familiar gesture to both of them that was both comforting and reassuring.

"She knew I was getting out of control and that the next time I might not be so lucky." Starsky admitted with a sheepish smile at his partner.

"So why would they wait all these years to get even? And why go after Nicky?"

"That's why I need to find out what Nicky's been into. There could be more to this than just getting back at me. Let's get out of here. I don't want Ma worrying about me on top of everything else,"

Since it was Starsky's turn to pay, he pulled some bills from his jeans and left them on the table as they slid out of the booth. Neither of them noticed the redhead watching them leave with narrowed eyes and a thin smile. As the door swung shut behind them, she picked up the phone behind the bar and dialed. When the caller answered, she said,

"Danny Messer was just in here and you'll never guess who he was hooking up with," She paused for effect, "David Starsky." She listened in silence for several minutes and then said, "Yeah…it looks like you were right. Just remember…you owe me." With those parting words, she hung up and went about her routine duties.

With Hutch behind the wheel they headed back to the Starsky home in Brooklyn. Hutch drove along the unfamiliar city streets guided by Starsky's directions. Darkness was settling over the neighborhood as the two friends returned to the gathering of relatives. The kitchen table was covered with plates and dishes of food that had been lovingly prepared by the Starsky and Goldstein women. Both men were immediately encouraged to eat by a weary looking Rachel Starsky.

After filling a plate, Hutch joined Starsky on the sofa. After eating second helpings Starsky and Hutch told everyone good night and went upstairs. It was quiet and peaceful in their shared bedroom after the noise downstairs from the gathering of relatives.

"You wanna turn in or what?" Hutch said "It's still early."

"I wanna take a look in Nicky's room," Starsky told him. "Maybe I'll find something that wouldn't mean anything to anyone else."

"You sure you want to do this now?"

"It has to be done now before Ma and the other relatives pack his stuff to give it away."

"Give it away to whom?" Hutch asked with a frown that deepened the crease between his eyes.

"Other relatives…the temple…local families who need the help," Starsky explained "Ma and I will go through his things first to keep whatever we want and then the rest is up for grabs."

"I'm really sorry, Starsk. I know how hard this must be for you. Despite the way things were between the two of you…Nicky was still your brother."

"Not in all the ways that count," Starsky said with a feeble smile, "Not as much as you are. I'll be okay…but, I don't think I could make it if it was you instead of Nicky." Starsky lowered his head to avoid Hutch's eyes. He hated soapy scenes as he called them and this one was rapidly heading in that direction.

"Then let's check out Nicky's room." Hutch said deftly bringing the subject back to a more neutral topic. Starsky gave him a grateful smile as the two friends left their room and went to the room farther down the hall.

Unlike Starsky's childhood bedroom, Nicky's room was cluttered and untidy. Clothes lay rumbled on the floor and an overflowing ashtray sat on the nightstand beside the bed. Hutch picked up one of the silk shirts and noticed the designer label. Having been raised in a privileged background, Hutch recognized quality when he saw it.

"Looks like Nicky had expensive tastes," Hutch commented as he tossed the shirt on the foot of the bed.

"Yeah, Nicky always did like nice things…he just didn't want to have to put forth much effort to get them." Starsky agreed with a thin smile. Starsky picked up a shirt and slowly ran the silky material through his fingers absently before tossing it on the bed. He frowned as he glanced at the ashtray. He knew immediately that the spent butts it contained weren't from regular cigarettes. Starsky found himself wondering how many other bad habits Nicky had brought into their mother's home.

Leaning down, he looked under the bed. He grinned when he found Nicky's collection of Playboy magazines. He had quite a collection. Starsky made a mental note to take them back to his room before his mother found them. There are some things that even an adult man doesn't want his mother to see. He heard Hutch's voice over his shoulder,

"Looks like Nicky and you had the same interest in reading material. Better stash those before your Mama sees them." There was a smile in Hutch's voice that made Starsky smile wider.

"We'll take them back to my room." Starsky said as he straightened up. He jerked his head towards the overflowing ashtray. "Looks like he had a taste for those funny little cigarettes that he sold on the side too," he said with a trace of bitterness in his voice.

"We'll get rid of those too," Hutch told him with a comforting smile. "No point in having your Ma reminded of Nicky's bad habits at a time like this."

A further search of the room uncovered a significant amount of money in a canvas bag in the closet. Five thousand dollars. Although Starsky knew the money had probably been gained illegally he decided to leave it where it was. It was money that his mother could use. Maybe without Nicky around to drain her finances every month, Rachel would finally have some money left over for herself once the routine expenses were paid. Expenses that Starsky would continue to help her pay by sending her money out of his pay every two weeks just as he had done ever since becoming an adult capable of earning a living on his own.

Starsky was relieved when their search failed to uncover any overt evidence of Nicky's illegal activities other than the stash of cash and the marijuana cigarettes. He gathered up an armload of the magazines from under Nicky's bed while Hutch gathered up the rest and they returned to their own room. They spent the rest of the evening glancing through the magazines and comparing the attributes of the various models.

The next morning, both men dressed in black suits with white shirts before joining the others downstairs. As he left the bedroom, Starsky pulled a yarmulke over his curls, pinning it on in the back so it wouldn't come off. It was a beautifully embroidered work of art made of dark blue velvet. Although Hutch had seen Starsky wear the traditional head dress a few times before he had never seen one as elaborate as this one. He assumed that it must be reserved for special occasions. Hutch had a yarmulke stuffed in his pocket but his was a paper thin black one that was worn by outsiders during a Jewish ceremony. Following Starsky's example, Hutch put on his yarmulke and pinned it in place in his fine blond strands.

Nicky's service was held at the neighborhood temple where both Starsky sons had taken their bar mitzvahs. Unfamiliar with the customs of a traditional Jewish funeral, Hutch carefully watched his partner and followed his lead to make sure he didn't unintentionally offend anyone in the Starsky family.

Danny Messer attended the service but, did not talk to Starsky or Rachel other than to offer his heartfelt condolences. After a brief service at the cemetery the immediate family and Hutch returned to the Starsky house where they would sit Shiva for the next seven days as a sign of respect for Nicky.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

After seven days of mourning things returned to normal in the Starsky home. Or at least as close to normal as it could be with Nicky gone. Although Rachel seemed to return to her usual warm and loving personality, a deep sadness lingered in her eyes and new lines were etched on her face that hadn't been there before. Out of respect for his mother Starsky had waited before continuing his investigation into Nicky's activities before his death. He had resigned himself to the fact that he probably wouldn't like what he found out about his younger brother

Starsky was sitting at the table enjoying a leisurely breakfast of corn cakes, strawberry jam, and scrambled eggs when Rachel turned away from the stove and said in a deceptively casual tone,

"I've decided to sell the house and move in with Al and Rosie."

Starsky looked at his mother with a stunned expression on his face. For years he had been trying to talk her into moving to California but she had steadfastly refused to leave the home where she had lived for over forty years. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, I'm sure. I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Rosie and Al have the room and they've been after me to move in with them for years," she flashed her eldest son a fond smile, "Not to mention some not so subtle hints from you."

"I just want what's best for you,"

"I know. It's time to move on. There are too many memories here now."

"It's gonna be great having you in Bay City," Starsky told his mother with a huge smile. He pushed aside his plate and stood up. He crossed the kitchen in two long strides and pulled his mother into his arms hugging her tightly. Rachel laughed and cupped his face in her hand showering his cheeks with kisses before wiggling out of his arms.

"Finish eating your breakfast," she scolded him as she turned to run some water in the sink to wash the dishes when they were done.

"Yes, Ma'am," Starsky said with a grin as he sat back down at the table and attacked his unfinished meal with renewed gusto. Finally, he shoved his chair away from the table and stood up. He gathered up his dishes and carried them to the sink.

"Hutch and me are gonna go out," Starsky said. "I'm not sure how long we'll be gone but, we should be back for supper."

"Go, I'll be fine," Rachel said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. "Besides…tonight is bingo night so I'll be going out for the evening after we eat."

Giving his mother a quick kiss, he left the kitchen and went upstairs to the bedroom where Hutch had just finished dressing. The night before they had decided to pay a visit to the detectives in charge of the investigation into Nicky's murder. Starsky was hoping that they could shed some light on Nicky's recent activities and his possible connections to the gang.

The Thirty-third Precinct in mid-town Brooklyn had seen better days. The building was old and worn down with metal bars covering windows that were coated with dirt and grime. The interior of the building wasn't much better. The paint on the walls was faded, the worn tiles on the floor uneven and scuffed. A general aura of apathy and indifference hung heavily in the air. The homicide division was on the fourth floor and a crudely written sign on the elevator door stated that it was out of order. The writing was smudged and the paper it was written on was dirty as if the sign had been hanging there for a long time.

The squad room was crowded with battered desks jammed into all the available space. The desktops were scared and worn with forgotten etchings carved deeply into the wood. The plastic covered chairs were torn and mended with duct tape with an occasional wheel missing.

Two men sat at a shared desk in the rear of the room. Detective Tommy Collins was a twenty-five year veteran with watery blue eyes, a deeply lined face, and a thin, drawn mouth. Too many doughnuts and not enough exercise had left him with a noticeable bulge around the middle.

His partner, Billy Walgreen, was a younger officer who hadn't been around long enough to become disillusioned by his chosen profession. His dark hair was neatly trimmed and his lean muscular body fit and conditioned. His blue-green eyes were intelligent and alert as he quietly observed his surroundings.

Starsky and Hutch walked across the room, ignoring the chaos around them. Collins looked up as they approached, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Can I help you?" he asked in a gravelly voice.

"I'm David Starsky and this is my partner, Ken Hutchinson," Starsky said introducing himself. "I was told that you were the officers investigating my brother's murder."

"Oh, yeah," Collins said in a sour tone. "You're the big city cop from Californy. What's the matter, boy? Don't you think us old timers know how to do our jobs?"

"I'm just interested in finding out who murdered my brother." Starsky said in a cool, calm voice. It wasn't the first time during the course of their careers that Starsky and Hutch had encountered animosity from their peers from another precinct who saw their presence on their turf as a threat.

"What's to find? He got offed by some gang bangers. Either he was in the wrong place at the wrong time or he pissed somebody off." Collins said in a disinterested voice. "End of story."

"So that's it? Case closed?" Starsky said in a grim tone. "All wrapped up nice and neat so you don't have to get off your lazy ass and do any real police work?"

"Look, boy," Collins growled in a threatening tone. "I was a cop before you were even a twinkle in your daddy's eye. Just because your some kind of big shot city cop and your daddy was some kind of hero in this department don't mean squat to me. From what I hear your brother sure as hell wasn't no saint and it ain't no sweat off my balls that he went and got himself killed. He probably had it coming." With those parting words, he shoved himself to his feet and brushed past the two detectives, stomping out of the squad room.

"Sorry about that," Walgreen said with an embarrassed smile. He was both annoyed and angered by his partner's rudeness. "Tommy's only got a few months left till retirement. I guess he just doesn't give a shit anymore."

"That's no excuse for his behavior," Hutch said gruffly. "He's still a cop and he needs to do his job."

"For what it's worth…there's really not that much to go on." The younger officer said as a hint of color crept into his cheeks at Hutch's criticism. "Your brother was killed in known gang territory and he had ties to several of the more unsavory characters in the neighborhood. The case is still an open investigation but we don't have any viable suspects at the moment."

"Right," Starsky said shortly, his patience wearing thin. "You know where to reach me if you happen to come up with anything." He turned and walked towards the exit with long, determined strides. With a thin smile at the younger detective, Hutch followed his agitated partner.

Starsky remained silent until they were outside the building. Pausing beside their rental car, he slammed his fist down on the roof of the vehicle in frustration. "That pompous ass doesn't give a damn who killed Nicky! And he's not going to make any effort to find out. As far as he's concerned, Nicky got what he deserved."

"So?" Hutch said lightly, locking eyes with his friend across the roof of the car. "It won't be the first time we're solved a case that the local yokels had given up on."

Starsky sighed heavily as he unlocked the door and slid under the wheel. He leaned over to unlock the other door for Hutch. As the big blond slid into the front seat, Starsky hung his head and said, "Nicky didn't deserve to die like that…no matter what he did or how he turned out."

"What are you gonna do when you find out who killed him?" Hutch asked quietly.

"I don't know," Starsky admitted in a barely audible voice. "I just don't know." He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The engine roared to life as he turned the key in the ignition and pulled into the flow of traffic.

Back at the Starsky home, Rachel and several other family members were cleaning out Nicky's room and packing his belongings. In their shared bedroom, Starsky found a box lying on the bed. He opened the lid and smiled faintly. Hutch watched in silence as Starsky lifted out a photo album. As he slowly flipped through the pages, Starsky said, "Its pictures of me and Nicky when we were kids. I guess that's how I'll always remember him…as my pesky little brother who wanted to follow me around all the time."

A deep sadness settled in his eyes as he continued looking through the photo album. Finally, he closed it and put it back in the box. He lifted out a thick bundle of letters tied together with a yellow ribbon. Glancing at Hutch, a faint smile tugged at Starsky's lips. "These are all the letters I wrote Nicky after I got sent to California and when I was in 'Nam. I'm surprised he kept them." He carefully put the bundle of letters back into the box and closed the lid. "I guess Ma knew that these were the only things that meant anything to me."

Unable to resist the pain he saw in his partner's eyes, Hutch stepped forward and pulled his friend close in a tight, comforting embrace. Starsky leaned into the embrace savoring the familiar closeness and security that his partner provided.

A light tap on the bedroom door interrupted the moment. Breaking the embrace, Starsky cleared his voice and said, "Yeah?"

The door opened and Starsky's aunt Esther smiled at him warmly. "There's a phone call for you Davi." She told him.

Starsky nodded in acknowledge and shot Hutch a parting grin as he left the room. He trotted down the stairs and picked up the receiver lying on its side on the table.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Danny. I got some info for ya. Can you meet me tomorrow at 10? The park down the street from your mom's."

"I'll be there." Starsky told him "Thanks, Danny."

"Don't thank me yet. You haven't heard what I found out." There was a soft click as Danny hung up. Starsky hesitated for a moment and then gently replaced the receiver in the cradle. He climbed back up the steps and entered the bedroom.

"That was Danny." He told Hutch as he closed the door. "He wants to meet me tomorrow morning at 10. He said he has some info on Nicky."

Hutch nodded without commenting as the two men began to get ready to turn in for the evening.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

The next morning Starsky and Hutch left the house to meet Danny at the park a few blocks from the Starsky home. It was a well-kept neighborhood park with a playground, a small pond, a running path and benches. It was too early for the mothers to arrive with their young charges or for the other neighborhood children to gather at the playground. The park was deserted except for a couple of joggers using the running path.

Danny was sitting on a bench facing the pond with his legs casually stretched out in front of him and his arms resting on the back of the bench. He glanced up as Starsky and Hutch approached. The expression on his face remained neutral as Starsky sat down at the opposite end of the bench and looked at his old friend solemnly_. _

"It seems that little Nicky was an enterprising little prick." Danny said in a neutral tone, "A little pot here and there, some numbers running, some stolen property…nothing too major. He was associated with the Tanglewood Boys but he wasn't actually part of the gang…just another wanna be gang banger. He liked the advantages of hanging around with them…the girls, the drugs, the other fringe benefits. Unfortunately, it seems that Nicky wasn't above trading info with the competition if you catch my drift."

"Was he recruited by the gang?" Starsky asked in a tightly controlled voice.

"He was your kid brother…so yeah, Ice let him hang around after you left. Groomed him to take your place until he found out that Nicky wasn't you. He didn't have your nerve…and he wasn't as crazy as you were at that age." Danny glanced at Starsky and added quietly, "But, then, he didn't have as much to prove as you did. Did he?"

"So did he cross the gang and step on the wrong toes or was he killed to get me back here?" Starsky asked gruffly.

"A little bit of both. Nicky did some things that pissed off the gang and it was a given that killing him would get you back here."

"Ice ordered the hit," Starsky said flatly, a simple statement of fact and not a question. "To get back at me for what happened when we were kids."

"You'll never prove it," Danny reminded him. He shoved himself to his feet and looked at his childhood friend somberly. "Let it go, Davy. It's over. Your ma doesn't need to mourn both of her sons." Without another word, Danny walked away leaving Starsky and Hutch alone.

"Well, I guess that's it. Huh?" Hutch said quietly when Starsky remained where he was with a faraway expression on his face.

Starsky shook his head and said gruffly as he abruptly stood up. "It's not over yet…it'll never be over until I put a stop to it."

"I don't know what you got in mind, buddy…but don't go thinking you're gonna do anything without me." Hutch told him.

"It's my problem, Blondie. Not yours." Starsky said as the two men started to walk back towards the street.

"Hey…me and thee. Remember?" Hutch said as he fell into step beside his partner. He silently vowed to keep a close eye on his impetuous friend and not let him do anything impulsive. They planned to return to California at the end of the week and Hutch saw no reason to change their travel plans.

Starsky remained in a subdued mood as they returned to the Starsky home. Rachel was out so the men had the house to themselves. Hutch fixed a light lunch and they sat down at the kitchen table to eat. Starsky picked at his food, a clear sign that he was still preoccupied with his own thoughts. Finally, Hutch broke the silence.

"Come on, Starsk. Talk to me. What's up?"

"Nicky's dead, Ma's selling the house and moving to California…nothing will ever be the same." There was a wistful tone in Starsky's voice that made Hutch smile. Despite Starsky's tough exterior, underneath he had a soft heart and a sentimental nature. He was facing the loss of what remained of his childhood and it was a painful transition.

"It's a lot to deal with all at once." Hutch said in an agreeable voice. "I guess I never really thought about it. I couldn't wait to leave the old homestead behind and I've never looked back. I know Bay City is home…but this was your home too and you're going to miss it. That's only natural."

"It had to be a hard decision for Ma to make. She's lived here for almost forty years." Starsky said. "Her and Pop moved here just after they got married. This place is full of memories." He let his eyes drift around the room as he drifted back into his own memories. A soft smile turned up the corners of his mouth, "If you look close enough you can see marks in the wood over there where Pop used to measure how tall Nicky and I were on our birthdays." His eyes drifted to another part of the room. "And over there is where this stray cat we found one summer had a litter of eight kittens. Ma made me and Nicky find homes for all of them…including the mama cat."

"Those are all good memories," Hutch said "And they'll always be with you."

Starsky's eyes darkened as he said, "And out there in the front yard is where Pop died in my arms when I was twelve." He looked at Hutch solemnly. "That's one memory I wish I didn't have." He said in a bitter voice.

"We all have memories…both good and bad…that we wish we didn't have." Hutch said "I can't even imagine some of the things that you've been through…but those are the things that made you who you are."

"After Pop died I just didn't give a damn. I was angry and filled with hate at the whole world it seemed. That's when I started hanging out with the Tanglewood Boys. They made me feel like I was somebody…that I belonged. What did I know? Danny and me were just a couple of dumb kids trying to act like we were grown up."

"Every kid that age can't wait to grow up," Hutch said with a soft smile. "And most grownups wish they could go back to being that young again."

"I'd never want to be that age again," Starsky said with a soft chuckle. "Wet dreams and a squeaky voice…no thanks."

"Yeah…me neither." Hutch agreed "Course it didn't help that I was a little bit of a geek…tall and skinny with glasses and braces on my teeth."

"Yeah…but look at you now," Starsky said with a wide grin "Mr. G.Q. You got it all. Looks, brains and class. A killer combination."

"Hey, look who's talking," Hutch said with a grin of his own. "You ain't no slouch yourself and you more than make up for my education with your street smarts."

Their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. "Hold that thought," Starsky said as he stood up and went into the other room to answer the phone. Grabbing the receiver on the third ring, he said "Starsky residence."

"Starsky residence," a mocking voice said in his ear. An eerily familiar voice that sent a chill down Starsky's spine. "Welcome home, Davy boy. You know the rules. Blood in….blood out."

"Where and when?" Starsky said deliberately lowering his voice so Hutch wouldn't overhear the conversation.

"Tomorrow and you already know where." There was a click in his ear as the call was disconnected.

Raising his voice to a normal level, Starsky said into the receiver, "Sorry, you got the wrong number." He hung up and turned back to the kitchen. He couldn't let Hutch know about the challenge he had been issued. He would have to find a way to sneak away from under his partner's watchful eye. Keeping a neutral tone in his voice, he told Hutch. "Some guy looking for Trixie."

Hutch laughed. "Boy, did he have a wrong number." He stood up and began gathering up the dirty dishes from their meal. He carried them over to the sink and began running water to wash them.

"You wash. I'll dry." Starsky said as he stepped up beside him. The two men cleaned up in comfortable silence working in tandem just like they did on the streets. Hutch didn't seem to notice that Starsky was distracted for the most part and wrapped up in his own thoughts.

The two friends turned in early that night but Starsky was too restless to sleep. Even after Hutch had fallen asleep, Starsky lay awake staring into the darkness. He knew that the next day he would face a buried demon from his past and try to put it behind him once and for all. His fate rested solely in his own hands and he knew that he would be looking death in the face. And he may not walk away this time.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks to a pair of sharp eyes in another group, I corrected a big boo boo in story. I had the wrong supervisor written in for Danny! Duh!**

**CHAPTER 7**

Starsky waited until he heard the shower start before quietly slipping into the hallway. He knew that Hutch would be preoccupied with his morning routine for at least an hour. That gave him time to slip away without his overly protective partner or his mother seeing him. His mother was in the kitchen cooking breakfast as he crept past the kitchen doorway. Her back was to him so she didn't see him as he slipped out the front door. For a moment he felt like a teenager sneaking out again without his mother"s knowledge. Turning left at the street, he tugged his jacket tight against the early morning chill as he walked briskly away from his childhood home.

Forty-five minutes later Hutch went downstairs expecting to find his partner in the kitchen devouring his mother's cooking. He was surprised to find Rachel sitting alone at the table sipping a cup of tea.

"Good morning," Hutch said cheerfully. "Where's Starsky?"

"I don't know, dear. I thought he was still upstairs with you." Rachel said "I didn't hear him come down. But, he couldn't have gone far. He hasn't eaten yet. Maybe he walked down to the Deli for a newspaper and a bagel."

"Maybe," Hutch said trying to ignore the nagging doubt that crept into his mind.

"Would you like something to eat?"

"No, I'll wait for Starsky." Hutch told her. Although he wasn't hungry, he did walk over to the stove to pour himself a cup of coffee. He reminded himself that Starsky was a big boy and he could take care of himself. This was his old neighborhood. If he wanted to take an early morning stroll down memory lane it wasn't Hutch's place to stop him.

Hutch stepped out onto the front stoop to drink his coffee, anxiously glancing in both directions periodically hoping to see his partner approaching. After an hour with no sign of Starsky, his partner radar was on high alert and he could no longer hide the anxiety that was tying his stomach into knots.

He went back into the house to put his cup in the sink. Rachel was no longer in the kitchen so he didn't have to feel obligated to offer her any explanations for his abrupt departure. He left the house and climbed into the rental car which was still parked in the driveway. Backing out of the drive, he turned east and headed down the street.

Suddenly, Hutch realized that he had no idea where to begin his search for his wayward partner. He needed help from someone who knew Starsky's old haunts and stomping grounds from his childhood. He needed to talk to Danny Messer. Mind made up, he turned the car towards Manhattan.

The squad room was bustling with activity as Hutch paused just inside the doorway and glanced around hoping to see a familiar face. He stopped a harried brunet who was passing by juggling an armful of folders.

"Excuse me," Hutch said politely. "I'm looking for Danny Messer. Can you tell me where I can find him?"

"Uh…I'm not sure but I think Danny's off today…" The woman said with an uncertain smile.

An older man exited from a nearby office and approached them. He walked with the confident air of authority of someone clearly in charge. He had neatly trimmed brown hair, a lean but muscular build, and piercing blue-green eyes. "I'll take care of this, Michelle." He said. The woman smiled gratefully and hurried on her way down the hall. The man turned his attention to Hutch. "I'm Mac Taylor," He introduced himself. "I'm the unit supervisor. Is there something I can help you with?'

"I need to talk to Danny Messer. My partner and I are in town for a family funeral and Danny is an old friend of my partner." Hutch said giving an abbreviated reason for wanting to see Danny. "I need to find my partner and I thought he might be with Danny."

"I'm sorry but today is Danny's day off and I am not authorized to give you is home number or address." Mac said apologetically. "But, if you want to come with me to my office, I can call Danny and see if your friend is with him."

"Thanks, I'd really appreciate that," Hutch said. He was reluctant to share any further information with this man than he had to. "If my partner isn't with him maybe Danny has some idea where he might be."

Hutch followed Mac into a large open office with lots of windows that overlooked the city. The room was neat, the desk clean and organized with everything in it's place. A stack of files sat to one side waiting for Mac's attention. He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed a number. After a moment, he said "Danny, it's Mac. There's a gentleman here looking for a friend of his. He thought you might know where he was." He peered at Hutch questioningly.

"Ken Hutchinson…Dave Starsky's partner." Hutch told him.

"Ken Hutchinson." Taylor said into the receiver. He listened for a moment and then said, "Fine. I'll let him know." He hung up and looked at Hutch. "Danny said he hasn't seen your friend but if you want to come over to his apartment he'll be glad to help you look for him." He wrote the address on a scrap of paper and handed it to Hutch.

"Thank you." Hutch said sincerely. Hutch slipped the paper with the address in his pocket as he left the office and made his way out of the building. Twenty minutes later, he pulled up in front of the four story brownstone where Danny lived. His apartment was on the third floor.

Hutch's knock was answered immediately. Danny stepped into the hallway to join him, pulling the apartment door closed behind him. "You better let me drive." Danny said without any formalities. "Some of the places we may have to go to look for Davy are kinda hard to find if you don't know the city."

"You know where he went, don't you?" Hutch asked as they walked down the hallway towards the steps.

"Let's just say that I've got my suspicions." Danny said "And if I'm right…we don't have any time to waste. We need to find him before it's too late."

"Too late for what?" Hutch demanded as he matched his long strides to Danny's hurried steps.

"Before our stubborn, impetuous friend gets his ass killed over something that happened a long time ago." Danny said putting Hutch's worst fears into words.

Hutch held his tongue until they were outside the building and seated in the front seat of Danny's car, a nondescript light blue Chevy Nova. As Danny inserted the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life, Hutch looked at him with blue eyes as cold as ice threatened to cut the other man's to ribbons. "I think it's time somebody tells me just what the fuck it is that you and Starsky are both trying to keep from me." He growled.

Danny sighed heavily and threw a pointed glance at his companion. Hutch held Danny's gaze with his own. As he pulled into the flow of traffic, he began to explain, "With a gang like the Tanglewood Boys, you don't just walk away…once you're in the gang you're in the gang for life. There are only two ways out of the gang. One is if you're killed by another gang member or if you get iced in prison. The only other way out is to fight four of the biggest, baddest enforcers in the gang to win the right to walk away…blood in, blood out." He looked at Hutch somberly and added, "I've never known anybody who's ever walked away."

"But, I thought Starsky's mom sent him away before he actually joined the gang," Hutch said as he let the meaning of Danny's words sink in.

"He was a recruit…" Danny explained "The gang went after him…he was a cop's kid and he had balls of steel…he wasn't afraid of anything and he had a chip on his shoulder a mile wide after his old man got killed. If he hadn't messed up during one of their heists and got my brother and another gang member busted, he would never have gotten hurt the way he did. Even then, it wasn't nothing personal. It was just the way the gang dealt with that sort of thing. When Davy survived and his ma sent him away, then the gang took it personally and Davy became a marked man."

"So now he's out there somewhere getting ready to fight his way out of the gang?" Hutch asked in a subdued tone

"He's out there ready to get himself killed." Danny said gruffly. "Davy knows as well as anybody does that nobody wins in a blood out challenge. Four against one are lousy odds to begin with and no matter how good a street fighter you might be, you're up against four of the biggest, baddest mother fuckers in the gang and anything goes…no rules, no holds barred. All you have is your hands to defend yourself but the enforcers can use whatever's handy…chains, knifes, baseball bats."

"Oh, my god…" Hutch muttered the color draining from his face as he finally realized just how much danger his partner had deliberately put himself into. They had to find him before it was too late.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

As Starsky walked through the familiar streets of his childhood the neighborhood gradually deteriorated. Single family homes that were old but well cared for were replaced by rundown buildings with cracked or broken windows and uncut lawns littered with toys and trash. Despite the early hour, occasionally a small child could be seen playing outside without any adult supervision. Eventually, even the neglected homes gave way to abandoned storage buildings and rundown warehouses. Occasionally, Starsky passed an apartment building that had been condemned by the city forcing the poor and elderly residents to relocate.

Forty minutes after leaving his mother's home, Starsky paused in front of an abandoned four- story building that had seen better days. The lower windows had been broken out then boarded over and the front wall was covered with gang graffiti. Trash littered the street in front of the building and an unpleasant odor of decay and neglect hung in the air.

Starsky walked into the dark alley beside the building. Halfway down the alley, he paused in front of a heavy security door that swung open on broken hinges. He cautiously stepped into a dark and sinister looking stairwell that led to the upper floors of the building. The stairwell smelled of decay, vomit, urine, stale sex and feces. Holding his breath against the stench, Starsky began to climb the steps.

He kept climbing until he reached the narrow passage that led to the roof. He wasn't surprised to see the door at the top of the passageway standing open. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly and climbed the stairs to meet his fate.

The roof was flat and littered with broken bottles, overflowing trash bags, used condoms and discarded styrofoam food boxes and drink cups from fast food restaurants. A two foot high barrier ran around the perimeter of the roof. From previous experience Starsky knew that it offered little protection against a fall from the roof.

He paused just inside the doorway to let his eyes adjust to brightness after the darkness of the stairwell. In spite of the sunlight, dark shadows hugged the corners of the roof creating eerie shapeless images.

"YOU WANTED ME! HERE I AM!" Starsky yelled. He waited but only silence greeted his challenge. "Come on, Ice!" He yelled again. "I haven't got time to play your games! Show yourself unless you haven't got the guts to face me."

A deep chuckle answered his verbal taunt and a shadow moved out of the darkness. It was Ice, the leader of the Tanglewood Boys. He was a tall, muscular man a few years older than Starsky. Long dirty blond hair hung to his shoulders pulled back from his face in a ponytail. Cold, almost lifeless, brown eyes peered out from under heavy brows. A jagged scar ran down his left cheek adding to his sinister appearance. He was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt worn underneath a denim jacket that proudly displayed the colors of the Tanglewood Boys.

"Davy, my boy," Ice said in a mocking tone "Still got a mouth on ya I see and balls of steel. Too bad you still don't have any brains."

"I've got more brains than you," Starsky replied with a smirk. "At least I'm one of the good guys."

"Too bad Nicky wasn't, huh?"

"You had no reason to bring Nicky into this," Starsky said gruffly "This is between you and me. It always has been."

"Nicky brought himself into it," Ice insisted in a casual tone. "He came to us…we didn't have to go to him."

"No, all you did was offer him all the things that Nicky wanted the most…money, girls, drugs…" Starsky said flatly. "And I'm sure he thought you had his back if he needed you."

"Aw, little Nicky…the only thing he had in common with you was your last name," Ice said "But, he thought he was something else. He thought he was such a big shot in the neighborhood. He didn't know how many people were really laughing at him behind his back for being the little chicken shit he really was."

"Including you?"

Ice smiled smugly and shrugged his shoulders. "I never pretended that I thought Nicky was something more than he really was."

"Why'd you kill him?" Starsky asked in a carefully controlled voice.

"Because he was getting too cocky. He was telling secrets that didn't need to be told. And he was getting too chummy with the wrong people."

"So you decided to teach him a lesson…just like you tried to teach me…right here…over twenty years ago."

"Yeah, well…you got lucky. I'd have finished the job if that bitch mother of yours hadn't sent you away."

"Leave my mother out of this," Starsky warned him in a cold, deadly voice. "At least I know who my mother is and I know that she loves me."

"You think I care who the bitch is that had me? I could care less." Ice growled. A feral grin tugged at his mouth. "We did little Nicky right over there," he jerked his head towards the far corner of the building. "You should have heard him squeal…just like the little pig he was. He just kept asking us why? What did he do?" Ice laughed a cold unfeeling laugh that sent a chill down Starsky's spine. "I spit in his face and told him he was nothing like you…that he was just another little punk wanna be."

"We gonna talk all day or are we gonna get down to it?" Starsky challenged Ice in a tight voice.

"That's what I've always liked about you, Davy," Ice said "You cut through all the bullshit."

He made an obscene gesture with his right hand and four other men stepped out of the shadows. His enforcers. Four of the meanest, biggest and most violent men in his gang. He remained standing where he was, a thin smile on his face, as the four men advanced on Starsky.

Starsky braced himself as he fell into a fighting stance, ready to go down fighting. He wouldn't go easy and he planned on taking some of Ice's men out with him before it was over. He struck out, landing the first blow to the nearest man to him. It was the only excuse the other men needed to grab the closest thing they could find to use as a weapon as they closed in on their prey.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

Hutch stomped away from Danny and the young gang member with a disgusted snort. He was the fourth gang member they had spoken to so far and, like the ones before he, the sullen teen had denied any knowledge of the Tanglewood Boys or their whereabouts. He glared at Danny when the other man joined him at the car.

"This isn't getting us anywhere!" Hutch exploded barely holding his temper. "Nobody seems to know a damn thing!"

"The gang's gone underground," Danny told him. "That makes them harder to find but it can be done. We just have to keep looking."

"And what about Starsky? It could already be too late,"

"I don't think so," Danny said "Ice will want to enjoy the moment. He won't let Davy to go easy." He stopped in his tracks and looked at Hutch with a stunned expression on his face as a thought suddenly struck him. "Fuck! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Think of what?" Hutch asked as Danny scrambled into the car. Hutch barely had time to climb into the car and close the door before Danny gunned the engine and roared away from the curb.

"Ice would want to finish what they started twenty years ago…that means the same place they went after Davy before. It's an old abandoned building not far from here."

Hutch clutched the dashboard as Danny tore through the narrow streets, driving almost as recklessly as Starsky when he was in hot pursuit. His heart pounded in his chest from a combination of fear and anticipation as the adrenaline spilled into his bloodstream. Ten minutes later, Danny squealed to a stop in front of a dark, rundown building that loomed out of the shadows like a ghostly phantom.

Danny grabbed a police issue flashlight with a high powered beam from the glove box before exiting the car. As they entered the building through an unlocked front door, Hutch could hear the settling of the building, the scratching of rodents in the walls and the squeaking of mice underfoot as they began to climb the steps towards the roof.

As a precaution, Hutch drew his magnum from his shoulder holster and flipped off the safety. There was nothing to indicate the presence of anyone else in the immediate vicinity but Hutch wasn't taking any chances. Not when his partner's life could be at stake. The heavy silence inside the stairwell was as unnerving after the routine sounds of the city outside.

Finally, they reached the door that opened onto the roof of the building. Danny glanced at Hutch and gave a single nod as he reached out and shoved it open. Both men flattened themselves against the wall on either side of the opening but there was no sudden burst of gunfire to greet their arrival. Cautiously, they peered out onto the roof as they slowly eased their way through the opening.

As their eyes adjusted, they could see the piles of trash and garbage that littered the surface beneath their feet. Guided by instinct alone, Hutch walked towards the far side of the roof.

He made out three bodies lying motionless in one corner of the building. Ignoring two of them, he sank to his knees beside the third body that was lying curled in a fetal position with the hands still clenched into fists.

"Oh, Starsk…" Hutch said in a choked voice as he reached down and gently brushed a blood soaked curl away from Starsky's forehead. Even in the darkness, he could see the battered features of his best friend and the unnatural angle of broken limbs. His trembling fingers reached for the pulse point in Starsky's throat. His own heart stopped momentarily when he couldn't find a pulse but, then he felt it a faint fluttering beat beneath his fingertips.

"Call a bus! He's still alive!" He yelled at Danny focusing all of his attention on his injured partner. He wanted to gather the broken body in his arms but he was afraid of causing more damage if he did. So, he did the best he could. He shifted positions so that he could rest Starsky's head in his lap, running his fingers through the thick blood soaked curls as he waited impatiently for help to arrive. As he waited, he offered a silent prayer to a god he no longer believed in to protect Starsky and keep him safe.

Danny secured the scene as they waited after making sure there were no suspects hiding elsewhere on the roof.

"Davy took out Riko and Maxie…two of Ice's top men." Danny told Hutch with a hint of awe in his voice as the sound of sirens in the distance grew louder. "If he's still alive it's because Ice let him live."

"Why would he do that if the whole point of this whole thing was to kill him over something that happened when Starsky was a kid?" Hutch growled gruffly.

"Because Davy won the right to walk away by taking out Riko and Maxie. That means he probably did some significant damage to the others too. I'll send out a notice to the local hospitals but I doubt if any of them'll show up at the ER. The gang usually takes care of their own."

Hutch tuned out Danny's explanation as he concentrated on his injured partner. Hutch could tell that Starsky was seriously injured. He had been severely beaten and some of the marks that Hutch could see indicated that weapons other than fists had been used.

Suddenly, the roof was overrun with medical personnel and police officers as the Calvary arrived on the scene. Two paramedics immediately began assessing Starsky's condition as they worked on stabilizing him for transport to the hospital. They wisely allowed Hutch to remain where he was, gently cradling Starsky's head in his lap.

Bits of their conversation drifted into Hutch's consciousness:

_Internal bleeding_

_Severe concussion with possible skull fracture_

_Pupils fixed and dilated_

_Blood pressure falling _

_Broken ribs with collapsed left lung _

_Abrasions and lacerations_

Hutch was forced to relinquish his hold on Starsky when the paramedics transferred him to the stretcher for transport. Hutch trotted along behind them as they carried the stretcher down from the roof and loaded it into the back of the waiting ambulance. The paramedics didn't raise any objections when Hutch climbed into the back of the ambulance to accompany them to the hospital. He stayed to one side out of their way so they could monitor Starsky's condition and provide the necessary care as the ambulance sped towards the nearest medical center.

Under the harsh unforgiving lights inside the ambulance, Starsky's facial injuries were clearly visible. His entire face looked like a slab of raw hamburger with several lacerations and deep bruising around both eyes and the entire right side of his face. His lips were torn and bloody, swollen to nearly twice their normal size. Bruises resembling finger marks discolored the flesh of his throat.

Hutch noticed with a twinge that Starsky's knuckles were torn, swollen and bruised from his own battle against his assailants. Two fingers on Starsky's left hand had the nails torn loose from the nail beds leaving the flesh underneath exposed and bleeding. It was obvious that some of his fingers were broken. From the odd angle of his left wrist, it was obviously that it was broken too.

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into the emergency entrance at Bellevue hospital. Despite it's somewhat dubious history, Bellevue was the oldest continuously operating hospital in America. Although it had started as a haven for the indigent, over the years Bellevue had become a major academic medical institution. Affiliated with the NYU School of Medicine, Bellevue offered a wide range of medical, surgical and psychiatric services and was a major referral center for highly complex cases.

Hutch was separated from his partner at the entrance to the emergency ward by a persistent nurse with a firm but warm nature.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you need to stay out here. The doctors will let you know how your friend is doing as soon as they can."

"You don't understand," Hutch said insistently "He's my partner. We're cops from California. I need to be with him."

"I promise the doctors will take good care of him. You'd only be in the way and they need the room to care for your friend." As she spoke, she gently steered Hutch towards the waiting area and settled him onto a comfortable leather covered sofa. "Wait right here. My name is Angie and I'll do my best to keep you updated on your friend's condition. Deal?"

"Okay…" Hutch muttered hanging his head in defeat. His shoulders slumped as he buried his face in his hands. His very posture was one of anguish and sorrow. A man left alone with his own demons and innermost fears.

Angie gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze before walking away. She returned to her normal duties but kept a close eye on the distraught blond she suddenly found under her care.

Hutch lost track of time as he sat there. A gentle hand on his shoulder startled him. He looked up with a jerk, surprised to find Rachel Starsky smiling down at him gently. She sank down on the sofa beside him and opened her arms. Without a word, Hutch leaned into the comfort of her motherly embrace.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He muttered against her shoulder "I should have been there. I should have been protecting him."

"Shhh…" Rachel soothed him "Stop that kind of talk right now. None of this is your fault. I know my son. He's always been headstrong. You couldn't have stopped him even if you had tried." She smoothed back the thin strands of Hutch's baby fine hair. A gentle gesture filled with a mother's love that comforted him beyond words.

"I should have called…" Hutch mumbled without raising his head.

"Danny called me. I know that David has told you not to call me when he's hurt until you know more about his condition. I know he doesn't want me to worry. But, that's my job as a mother. A mother never stops worrying about her child. No matter how old they are."

Hutch straightened up and straightened his shoulders as he regained his composure. Sometimes he felt as if he had spent half his life sitting in hospitals waiting for news on his injured partner. But, then Starsky had spent almost as much time waiting for news about him when he was hurt.

"This is where they brought my Davy when he was hurt before," Rachel said as she settled back against the sofa and let her memories drift back to another time. "I was so scared and the staff here was so thoughtful. They have good doctors here. Doctors who care. They took good care of my Davy. It's because of them that he can walk without a limp."

Hutch pulled his pocket watch out of his jeans and flipped it open so he could see the face. He was stunned to realize that he had been waiting almost four hours for news on Starsky's condition. He knew from bitter experience that the longer the wait the worse Starsky's condition could be.

Three hours later, Angie finally approached Rachel and Hutch. In a soft voice she said, "The doctor will talk to you now. Please follow me."

Hutch and Rachel exchanged a concerned glance as they rose to their feet and followed Angie down a long hallway to their left.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

Rachel and Hutch entered a cramped corner office that contained a large desk with two chairs facing it. As they sat down, Angie smiled at them and said, "Doctor Warner will be with you in a moment." She left, closing the door quietly behind her. Rachel instinctively reached out to grasp Hutch's left hand securely. Their gaze settled on the closed door as they waited impatiently for news on the man they both loved.

After ten tense minutes of waiting, the door opened and a tall, distinguished looking man with neatly trimmed salt and pepper hair, a lightly lined face, and intelligent brown eyes came in. He smiled at the couple facing him and said, "I'm Doctor Warner. I assume you are David's family?"

"Yes," Rachel said "I'm his mother, Rachel, and this is his brother, Hutch."

The doctor arched his eyebrows slightly obviously comparing the differences in their appearance but he didn't challenge Rachel's introduction. He sat down on the edge of the desk and began.

"David is still alive but his condition is critical. At the moment, he is in a medically induced coma to allow his body some time to heal without him having to deal with the pain. He had several internal injuries that required immediate surgery. We had to remove his spleen, part of his small intestines, a portion of his bowel, repair damage to his liver and reflate his left lung. These was massive internal bleeding which made it necessary to replace almost all of his blood supply which can affect both the clotting factor and his body chemistry. We will be keeping a close eye on both of those things.

He does have a moderate to severe concussion but, fortunately, there was no skull fracture. He suffered several lacerations and injuries to his face including a broken nose and a broken eye socket. Both of these injuries should heal with no noticeable effects. There is some severe bruising and contusions but nothing serious even though it looks like hell." He paused to let the information he had given them so far time to sink in. When neither of them had any questions, he continued,

"He does have several broken bones besides the ones in his face. His left shoulder is dislocated and his left wrist is broken in two places. He also had two broken fingers on his left hand and three on his right hand. Three ribs on his left side are broken and two are broken on his right. In addition, his breastbone is cracked. His left kneecap is out of place and his left ankle is shattered. He will need some physical therapy later on to regain use of his left leg and there is a distinct possibility of a permanent limp.

David is a very lucky young man. He was strong and in reasonably good health before this happened and that is all in his favor when it comes to his recovery."

"But, he will recover. Right?" Hutch demanded gruffly.

"In time…yes. David has a long hard road ahead of him and he's going to be a lot of pain for quite a while. Obviously, I don't know all the details but it's apparent that someone beat the hell out of him and was trying to do some serious damage."

"But, he's still alive." Hutch said "That's all that matters."

"Can we see him?" Rachel asked anxiously.

"As I said, he's in a medically induced coma. I'm sure you're both exhausted and it's late. I suggest you both go home and get some rest then come back tomorrow." The doctor said.

Rachel nodded, her hand on Hutch's arm keeping him from objecting to the doctor's suggestion. It was Hutch's custom to stay by his partner's side, refusing to leave, as long as Starsky was in the hospital. To leave, even briefly, was unheard of unless Starsky was awake and insisted.

"Thank you, Doctor," Rachel said graciously as she rose to her feet. "We'll be back in the morning."

Hutch nodded without speaking and reached out to shake the doctor's hand politely. Truth be told, he was exhausted both mentally and physically from the events of the day. He felt guilty for leaving the 'clean up' to Danny but, Starsky was and always would be Hutch's first priority. Besides, they technically had no authority in New York.

Hutch and Rachel took a cab back to the Starsky home where he found the rental car sitting in the driveway. Danny had apparently arranged to have it returned to the house in their absence. Inside the house was dark and cool. Rachel turned on the lights in the living room and went into the kitchen to make some coffee and a light snack. A typical Jewish mother, food was used as a source of comfort during times of stress.

While Rachel was busy in the kitchen, Hutch walked over to the phone and dialed the private number that Danny had given him earlier. After three rings, the other man answered with a brisk hello.

"Hey, It's Hutch. I thought you'd like to know that Starsky's in a coma but he's still alive."

"I know," Danny told him "I called the hospital for an update. I've got some news for you too. Riko's neck was broken and Maxie had his nose driven up into his brain. Both techniques that Davy would have learned in the military.

There's still no sign of Ice but another one of his henchmen called Mouse is at County General with a set of ruptured nuts. Looks like Davy took out another one on his way down."

"You said he was alive because Ice let him live…that he earned the right to walk away by taking out two of his men…but, earlier you said nobody walked away from a blood in, blood out challenge." Hutch said in an attempt to clarify what Danny had told him earlier about the gang and its traditions.

"Usually, that's true. But, the leader always has the option of granting mercy and if Davy managed to take out three of Ice's top men before he went down…then Ice had to grant him a reprieve." Danny explained "To do anything less means Ice would have lost face with the gang."

"What now?"

"Based on the evidence at the scene…a warrant's been issued for Mouse's arrest and Ice is being sought for questioning. Other than that…I can't tell you what'll happen…"

"At least that's something," Hutch said with a sigh. "Thanks, Danny. For everything."

"Anytime," Danny said "I owed Davy that much…"

There was a click in his ear as Danny hung up the phone. Hutch slowly replaced the receiver in the cradle and joined Rachel in the kitchen.

"Would you like some coffee cake, dear?" Rachel asked as Hutch sat down at the table.

"No, thanks but, I would love a cup of coffee." Hutch told her

"Of course," Rachel said as she poured a cup of coffee and sat it on the table in front of Hutch.

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they drank their coffee. Since they were both tired, they turned in for the evening when they had finished. Too restless to sleep, Hutch sat in a chair by the window and stared out into the darkness. What had started as a trip to New York for Nicky's funeral had ended up with Starsky lying in a hospital bed barely clinging to life.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

The sun was coming up over the horizon when Hutch walked into Starsky's hospital room the next morning. Even though visiting hours didn't officially start for another three hours, nobody challenged the big blond with the determined look in his ice blue eyes.

Starsky lay on the hospital bed with a sheet pulled up to his waist. His bare chest showed heavy bruising and a bandage covered most of his mid-section. His shoulder was heavily bandaged and strapped close to his body and his wrist was encased in a heavy cast. His broken fingers were splinted and his broken ribs were taped. His left leg and ankle were both casted and supported by an elaborate pulley system kept the proper amount of tension on the injured limp.

Despite the heavy bruising, Starsky's normally olive toned complexion looked as pale as the sheets where he lay. Both eyes were black and blue and swollen shut with a thick white bandage covering the bridge of his nose. His mouth was swollen and both lips were split open in more than one place. As the Doctor had told them the day before Starsky looked like hell. It was a miracle that the resilient brunet had survived such a savage beating. But, Hutch had always known that Starsky had one of the strongest wills to live that Hutch had ever seen.

"You gotta quit doing this to me, buddy," Hutch quipped as he stepped up to the bed and took Starsky's right hand in his own. "You're giving me gray hairs before my time." He knew that Starsky probably couldn't hear him because of the medically induced coma, but just talking to him helped bring Hutch a sense of peace.

He hooked the bottom rung of a chair sitting at the end of the bed with his foot and pulled it closer so he could sit without letting go of Starsky's hand. Finally able to rest, his head slowly fell forward as he slipped into a deep slumber. Throughout the morning, the medical staff worked quietly around him to avoid disturbing the slumbering man.

Hutch awoke when an aide came in with a lunch tray. Smiling she sat it down on the bedside table and said, "The nurses figured you might be hungry."

Hutch smiled his thanks. The teenager blushed with pleasure as she scurried from the room. Hutch examined the food on the tray without much interest. Typical hospital food that he had no interest in eating. The only thing that appealed to him was the coffee. He glanced at his partner as he took a sip. With his eyes swollen shut it was impossible to tell if Starsky was awake but he didn't seem to be in any distress. Hutch glanced up as the door to the room opened and Rachel came inside accompanied by her brother, Jacob.

"My poor baby," she said as she stepped up to her son's side and gently ran her fingers thru his thick unruly curls that someone on the nursing staff had washed sometimes after he was admitted. "Sleep my darling. You're going to be just fine. Hutch is here with you and he'll watch over you." She glanced at Hutch with a smile and added, "Just like he always has."

Hutch smiled, slightly embarrassed by her confidence in him. Early on in their partnership, Rachel had told Hutch how thankful she was that her son had a partner like him watching his back. It made her feel better about Starsky being on the job and the danger that he faced every day. Hutch was the one who doubted his own abilities when something like this happened that as beyond his control and Starsky ended up hurt.

"Davi wouldn't be here if he'd learn to stay out of trouble," Jacob said with a snort as he looked at his injured nephew with a frown.

"Hush!" Rachel silenced him sternly "David was defending himself. He didn't ask for this to happen. That other man…that Ice…wouldn't leave the past in the past where it belongs."

"Maybe so…but it is still our Davi who pays the price." Jacob grumbled unwilling to give up without having the final say. "I'll wait for you in the cafeteria." He said as he turned and strode out of the room.

Rachel looked at Hutch with a thin smile. "Jacob feels that it was his duty to take Michael's place in David's life but David had other ideas. They have always clashed. I fear that they are too much alike for their own good."

"I'm sure that the years apart haven't helped any," Hutch said lightly.

"No," Rachel added "David has grown into his own man and Jacob still sees him as a disobedient little boy."

"I guess in some people's eyes…we never grow up." Hutch said. He thought of his own father who even after thirty some years still thought that he could run his only son's life. Hutch often wished that his own family could be as warm and loving as Starsky's extended family.

He turned his attention to Rachel who was softly singing a Yiddish lullaby to her eldest son. She had accepted him as a part of Starsky's life from the day she met him and adopted him into the family with open arms. Nicky was the one who was jealous and had never accepted Hutch's place in Starsky's life. Starsky had made it clear on more than one occasion that Hutch was more of a brother to him than Nicky had ever or would ever be. That had only increased Nicky's animosity towards Hutch and it was too late now for the two of them to ever resolve their differences.

Rachel stayed for another hour and then left but Hutch remained. He would stay by his partner's side until he was confident that Starsky was out of danger. Starsky's well-being would always come first even before Hutch's own. The afternoon stretched into the evening hours. Hutch only left to answer the call of nature, to grab a cup of coffee or a bite to eat from the cafeteria. The nursing staff noted his devotion to his partner. They may not be familiar with the two men but they could see the extraordinary bond that they seemed to share. They were confident that their critically injured patient was in good hands when they weren't around.

Over the next two days, Hutch took over most of Starsky's personal care much to the dismay of his nurses and aides. He seemed comfortable attending to the brunet's personal hygiene and it soon became apparent that he had some medical knowledge that aided in his care of his injured friend.

When the doctor made his rounds on the third day Hutch was ready to have some questions answered.

"How's he doing?" Hutch demanded

"As well as can be expected," Doctor Warner said in typical doctor fashion without answering Hutch's question directly.

"How soon are you going to let him come out of the coma?" Hutch probed insistently.

"I think we can start decreasing the meds today. Hopefully, he should wake up sometime tomorrow afternoon. He's still got a long ways to go but his vital signs are stronger now and the more serious injuries have started to heal."

"How soon do you think he can go home?"

"That's hard to say. It depends on how well he does once he's awake. But, I would say that it will be several weeks before I would feel comfortable saying he's ready to travel to California. Is that going to be a problem?"

"No. We have a very understanding Captain back home." Hutch told him.

"I would have to say that David is a very lucky man to have a friend like you and such a supportive family here in the city."

"I'm the lucky one," Hutch said with a faint smile. "To have a friend like Starsky."

"I hope that they find whoever is responsible for what happened to him."

"They're working on it." Hutch said without going into any into any additional details. He had found out earlier that day that the gang member named Mouse had implicated Ice in the attack in exchange for protection from retaliation from the gang. Apparently a pair of ruptured balls had loosened his tongue significantly. Hutch had to hand it to his partner. Starsky could fight as down and dirty as the next guy when the situation called for it.

After the doctor had finished his examination, Hutch left to use the pay phone down the hall to call Rachel with his daily update. Although she visited her son every day, she counted on Hutch to give her a report on his condition before she arrived.

"Rachel? It's Hutch." He said "I just talked to the doctor. He's going to start weaning Starsky off the meds today so hopefully, he will wake up sometime tomorrow."

"That's wonderful!" Rachel gushed enthusiastically. "I hope he won't be in too much pain."

"I'm sure the doctor will make sure that's managed so he isn't." Hutch said "If he doesn't then I will."

"I know you will, dear. I'm so glad that I have you to count on."

"There's no place else that I'd rather be." Hutch told her

"I'll be there soon, dear." Rachel said before hanging up. Hutch hung up the phone and returned to his vigil at his partner's side.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

Hutch and Rachel were both present at his side early the following evening when Starsky's eyelids fluttered and slowly opened to reveal a sliver of midnight blue. Still badly swollen, he couldn't open his eyes all the way.

"Hey, buddy," Hutch said in the soft gentle voice he reserved solely for Starsky when he was hurt. "Welcome back."

"You're in the hospital, baby…but you're going to be okay," Rachel said blinking back the tears that threatened to overflow.

"Hush…Ma…" Starsky whispered bringing a smile to Hutch's lips. Starsky always slurred his name when he was medicated and made it sound like he was telling someone to hush. The fact that he recognized them was good news because it meant that he was alert and coherent.

"Don't ever pull a stunt like that again," Hutch scolded him "Or I'll have to kick your ass myself." He glanced at Rachel with an embarrassed smile, "Sorry, Rachel." He said remembering his manners at the last minute.

"I told you to call me Ma. And you're not too big for me to wash your mouth out with soap if you don't watch your language young man." Rachel told him in a feisty tone.

The image of his petite mother washing Hutch's mouth out with soap struck Starsky as funny and he snickered softly. He immediately regretted it as pain washed through his jaw and the side of his face.

"Easy, Starsk," Hutch said noticing his discomfort. "We'll save the jokes for later."

"I'm sorry, darling," Rachel said with a warm smile as she gently touched her son's face with her fingertips. "We're just so glad that you're all right and that you're awake."

"I would never have found you in time if it hadn't been for your friend Danny helping me." Hutch told him.

"Ice?" Starsky whispered in a barely audible voice.

Hutch shook his head. "They haven't found him yet. But, you killed two of his goons and the third one won't be bragging about his family jewels for quite a while."

A slight smile tugged at the corners of Starsky's lips as his eyes slowly drifted shut and he fell back into a peaceful, healing sleep.

"I'd better go," Rachel said quietly. "When he wakes up later tell him that I love him,"

"I will." Hutch promised. He kissed Rachel on the cheek as he escorted her to the door. He watched until she entered the elevator at the end of the hall before returning to Starsky's side.

Starsky slept through the night becoming restless around midnight but quieting down quickly once the nurse gave him a shot of morphine. The head nurse had moved a recliner into the room so Hutch could rest more comfortably at night once it became apparent that he had no intention of leaving his partner's side any time soon.

The next day, Danny came by the hospital in the afternoon. Starsky was sleeping so Hutch stepped into the hallway with Danny so they wouldn't disturb the brunet.

"Ice was found knifed to death early this morning in an alley not far from the Starsky home." Danny told him without any formalities. "We'll probably never know for certain exactly what happened or what he was doing there. That's not part of his regular turf."

"Payback?"

"Maybe…or maybe somebody saw an opportunity to take over the gang." Danny said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Like I said, we'll probably never know for sure but, for now, Nicky's case is being closed."

"Are they naming Ice and his boys as the murderers?"

"They're naming them as probable suspects." Danny said "I'm afraid that's the best we can hope for where Nicky's concerned but, they have been named as Davy's assailants. So, that closes his case too."

"At least it's over."

"Yeah, it's over." Danny agreed with a curt nod of his head. "And Davy made it. That's all that counts." He sighed heavily. "I have to get back to work. Tell Davy I stopped by."

"I will," Hutch promised. He reclaimed his place at Starsky's bedside where he passed the time reading a paperback he had bought in the hospital gift shop. It was called_ Jaws _and it was the story of a great white shark that terrorized a small coastal town. It was just the kind of story that Starsky would love. Hutch was enjoying the story. It was well written and descriptive enough to bring some unpleasant images to mind.

A soft moan from his partner immediately caught Hutch's attention. He quickly laid the book aside and leaned in towards his partner. "I'm right here, buddy," He said softly gently coaxing Starsky awake. After another deep moan, Starsky slowly opened his eyes as far as he could. The terrible bruising was starting to fade and the swelling was going down allowing the familiar features to emerge.

Once he was certain that Starsky was awake and alert, Hutch smiled at his friend warmly. "How you feeling? Do you need something for the pain?"

Starsky shook his head stubbornly even though Hutch could see the pain in the fine lines etched around his mouth and the corner of his eyes. He knew better than to argue. With Starsky reasonably alert, he had the right to refuse the pain meds. But, Hutch would overrule him if he felt the need to. He would not allow Starsky to suffer in silence no matter how stoic the brunet could be.

"How about some ice?" Hutch suggested reaching for a glass of ice chips sitting on the nightstand beside the bed.

Starsky nodded and opened his mouth reminding Hutch momentarily of a baby bird waiting to be fed by its mother. Hutch smiled as he spooned out a few chips of ice and slipped the spoon into Starsky's mouth. Starsky closed his eyes, sighing in pleasure, as the melting ice soothed his aching throat. He immediately opened his mouth for more. Hutch fed him two more spoons of ice chips before setting the glass aside.

He knew that Starsky could be a poor patient. As he got better, he grew more and more impatient; wanting to heal faster than his body was ready for. As a result, he often became short tempered and irritable with Hutch taking the brunt of his frustration and anger. Subtle signs of that restless, impatient nature was already starting to emerge. It was a positive sign. One that Hutch was actually relieved to see.

"Home…" Starsky mumbled sleepily, his eyes growing heavy as he fought to stay awake.

"Soon, buddy…soon." Hutch told him reassuringly.

Starsky shook his head stubbornly. "Not me…" he managed to say clearly "You. Go home. Rest."

Hutch smiled as he understood Starsky's request. He wanted Hutch to leave and go back to Rachel's for the evening to get some much needed rest in a real bed. Hutch shook his head. "Soon." He promised "But, not just yet."

Starsky sighed as his eyes shut and he fell into a deep slumber. Hutch knew as Starsky grew stronger, he would become more insistent about Hutch leaving to rest. Hutch had done the same when their positions were reversed. It was just another one of the ways that they watched out for each other.

Hutch picked up his book and continued reading. He became so engrossed by the story that the time passed without him noticing it. It was almost one in the morning before he realized how late it was. Closing the book, he yawned as he stood up and stretched to work the kinks out of his back and shoulders. After a quick trip to the bathroom, he laid down on the recliner and fell asleep beside his slumbering partner.

The next morning, Starsky was allowed to sit up in the bed for the first time. He grimaced in pain at the change in positions but tolerated it well. It was another positive sign. He was also given a soft diet instead of the liquids he had been on. With Starsky's appetite, Hutch knew that was a relief to the burnet even though he disliked hospital food as much as Hutch did.

Being left handed, Starsky couldn't feed himself so that task fell to Hutch. With some babying and a lot of coaxing on his part Hutch managed to get him to eat the poached egg, half of the custard, and most of the oatmeal.

"How about sneaking me in a hamburger tonight?" Starsky said after he had finished his meager breakfast. "Or better yet a pizza with the works and a root beer."

"Not tonight…you're not ready for that yet. Give it a couple of days. Okay?"

"Did anybody ever tell you that you're mean?" Starsky asked with a pout.

Hutch grinned as they fell back into their familiar bantering, another sign that Starsky's condition was rapidly improving.


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

At the end of three weeks in the hospital the swelling and bruising had all but disappeared from Starsky's face and his other injuries were healing without any complications. His ankle still concerned the doctor and a specialist had been called in who suggested additional surgery so Starsky could walk without a permanent limp. There wasn't really an option other than having the additional surgery. It was the only choice Starsky had if he wanted to remain on the streets instead of being forced to take a desk job or leaving the force entirely on a disability pension.

The delay in his recovery made the brunet moody and depressed. He was anxious to go home. His mother had already found a buyer for the house and was busy making her own plans to move to California with Rosie and Al.

Starsky was flipping through the channels on the TV mounted on the wall annoyed because he couldn't find anything that held his attention. Hutch was sitting beside the bed trying to read a new paperback he had bought that morning but was distracted by his own thoughts. With a sigh, he laid the book aside and cleared his throat to get his partner's attention.

"Ya know, Starsk…" he said slowly as he chose his words with care. "I've been thinking…the lease is up on my apartment at the end of the month…" he paused and then blurted out "So, I was wondering how you'd feel about finding a place together…you and me…maybe on the beach."

Starsky turned to look at the blond with an arched eyebrow. While the two men were the best of friends and spent most of their time together, even their free time and their vacations, they had never talked about sharing an apartment before. They both liked their independence and valued their privacy.

"Okay, Blondie," Starsky said "Where's this coming from? What's going on in that blonde head of yours?"

"I've just been thinking that we spend most of our time together anyway and half the time one of us is spending the night at the other one's apartment…and it would save us both a lot of money if we were sharing the rent and utilities instead of paying everything by ourselves like we do."

"That's true," Starsky agreed "But, what if one of us has a hot date and wants company for the evening if you catch my drift?'

"I'm not suggesting that we share a bedroom," Hutch said dryly "That shouldn't be a problem as long as we each have our own room."

"Okay, I'll give you that one," Starsky said "But, what if one of us finds 'the one'. Where's that gonna leave the other one?"

"Starsk," Hutch said in a patient tone "I don't know about you but, I'm almost forty years old. I don't see a wife and the little white house with a picket fence in my future anytime soon. Besides, I've been that route before and we both know how that turned out. I don't think I'm very good husband material."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Starsky said in a wistful tone and a sad look in his eyes. "I had my shot with Terry…I don't see myself finding anyone like her again in this lifetime."

Hutch reached out to take Starsky's hand. He knew how much it hurt Starsky to talk about his fiancé who had been brutally murdered by a maniac out for revenge against Starsky. The brunet still had lingering guilt blaming himself unnecessarily for her death. Hutch knew that Starsky frequently visited her grave, leaving flowers and spending time talking to her. A part of Starsky had died with her that day and the only thing that helped him get through that dark time in his life was the constant presence of Hutch by his side.

Starsky sighed and looked at Hutch with a fond smile. "I think moving in together is a great idea, Blondie," His tone turned light and playful "You need somebody around to keep an eye on you."

"Me?" Hutch pretended to be shocked "What about you? You're the one that's in the hospital."

Starsky turned serious. "I mean it, Blintz. I think it's a good idea. Like you said neither one of us is getting any younger."

Hutch smiled warmly pleased that Starsky was willing to go along with his plan. He already had a place in mind. A two bedroom bungalow that a friend had offered to sell him at a good price. He had already seen it and knew that Starsky would fall in love with it the minute he saw it. It was in a secluded cove that offered both privacy and its own private stretch of beach. Yet, it was still only a ten minute drive from all the amenities that the city boy in Starsky craved.

The two friends exchanged a silent glance that spoke volumes. They didn't need words between them to express how they felt about each other. Theirs was a friendship that transcended all bounds, soul mates in every sense of the word. It was a relationship that had been forged through blood, sweat and tears. Celebrations and losses. Pain and suffering. Joy and sorrow. Failed relationships too numerous to count. The only constant throughout the years had been the connection that held them together through it all. The most basic emotion of all. Love.

When visiting hours ended for the day, Hutch bid his goodbye and left the hospital at Starsky's insistence. He returned to the Starsky home to get some sleep before returning to the hospital as soon as possible the next morning. Rachel was waiting up for him and had a light meal prepared when he arrived.

"Did you talk to David about moving in together?" Rachel asked as Hutch sat down at the kitchen table. She was the only person Hutch had told about his plans and she had given him her immediate approval. Like any mother her only concern was for her eldest son's well-being and his happiness. She that knew that being with Hutch would give her the peace of mind of knowing that both of those conditions were being met.

"Yes." Hutch said with a wide grin that answered her next question before she could ask.

"I knew my boy had good sense. He knows a good thing when he hears it." Rachel said with a return grin just as wide. She sat a tall cold glass of lemonade down in front of him along with a small garden salad garnished with carrots, cucumbers, cheese, and slices of hard-boiled egg.

"I know that he's really glad that you're moving to Bay City." Hutch said as he began to eat his meal.

"He's all I have left. I've missed out of so much of his life by sending him away when he was young. But, at least this way, I can be there for him now." She looked at Hutch with a fond smile. "Not that I could ever take your place in his life and I wouldn't want to."

"He doesn't expect you to."

"After Michael died I swore I would never leave this house. This was my home. But, things change…and this isn't the same neighborhood that it was forty years ago." A thin smile tugged at her lips "Maybe I'm just getting old."

"You're not old," Hutch told her with a fond smile and a wink.

"And you are a charmer and a liar," Rachel teased him "but, thank you anyway." She tried to stifle a yawn. "I think I'll turn in. I'll see you in the morning, dear."

"Sleep well," Hutch told her "I'll straighten up before I turn in."

"Thank you," Rachel said "You're a good boy. Just like my Davy." She turned and left the kitchen to get ready for bed.

Hutch finished his meal and washed the dishes. Stacking them in the drainer, he checked to make sure everything was in its place before turning off the kitchen light and climbing the steps to the second floor bedroom.

Starsky winced as he took a faltering step, gripping the handrails tightly. Hutch stood by ready to catch him if he started to fall. The therapist watched his progress with a careful eye. His patient was making good progress after the most recent surgery on his injured ankle. The doctor was hopeful that he would be ready to head back to California within the next two weeks as long as he continued making the progress he had so far. With the blond at his side there was little doubt that he would. The blond seemed to know when to push Starsky and when he'd had enough. And Starsky seemed to be more than willing to go the extra mile to please his friend.

"Okay, David," the therapist said "That enough for today. Good job."

"Thanks," David said with a grin. His face was covered with a thin sheen of sweat and he was breathing heavily but he didn't seem to be under any undue stress. He tossed his companion a warm glance and a huge smile, "I got my own personal task master here to make sure I'm a good boy."

"Starsk," Hutch warned teasingly as he pointed the infamous 'Hutchinson finger' at his partner for his arrogance.

"Yes, Mom," Starsky joked back as he pretended to snap at the air.

Hutch took Starsky's arm and gently helped him into a nearby wheelchair. The care and concern between the two men had captivated everyone around them. It was amazing to watch the interaction between them and to see the genuine love that they shared. The entire hospital staff envied the relationship that the two men shared.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14**

"We're sorry to see you go, David," said Sheila, one of Starsky's favorite second shift nurses. "But, I bet you're glad to be going home."

"You bet," Starsky told her with a huge grin. After almost six weeks in the hospital, he was more than ready to get out of this place. They would be spending one last night at his mother's house and then leaving in the morning to fly back to Bay City.

Hutch took the handles of the mandatory wheelchair and pushed Starsky towards the elevators. Starsky balanced goodbye presents in his lap: candy, a large fruit basket, and a stuffed panda. As the doors slid closed being them, shutting off the lingering goodbyes from the staff, Starsky sighed heavily and leaned his head back against the back of the chair, closing his eyes.

"Pretty tired, huh?" Hutch said quietly with a fond smile at his weary friend.

"Yeah, and I haven't really done that much today except get dressed and wait for Doc to sign my discharge."

"But you've also been laid up for a long time, buddy. You need to recover your strength."

Starsky let his thoughts drift back over the past few weeks as the elevator began his decent to the lobby of the hospital. There had been a lot of pain and some nail biting on his part but he'd made it. Once more, he had pulled through a major medical crisis that could have killed him or left him permanently disabled. . He still walked with a slight limp but the doctor and physical therapist were both confident that the limp would disappear in time.

He often wondered how much more his body could take. It seemed like he'd had more than his share of second chances in his lifetime. Maybe it was time to look at his career options. He was getting too old to work the streets. As much as he hated to admit it, he wasn't a young man anymore. He just didn't have the stamina or resiliency that he once had. It was starting to take his body longer to recover from even relatively minor injuries.

The drive back to the Starsky home was made in comfortable silence with Starsky dozing in the front seat beside Hutch. Hutch carefully navigated through the heavy traffic, distracted by his own thoughts. He was looking forward to their return to Bay City and their impending move to the beach house that Hutch had found for them. Their lives were about to change drastically but Hutch was confident that it was a change for the better. For both of them. In a few weeks, Rachel would be joining them in Bay City. A move that was both sad and welcome for Rachel and her eldest son.

Rachel had a meal waiting for them when they arrived. She had prepared all of Starsky's favorite foods; food prepared with a mother's loving touch. Even as tired as he was, Starsky smiled widely when he saw the feast waiting in the kitchen. He ate three helpings before he'd had his fill.

"Come on, buddy," Hutch said with a chuckle "Let's get you upstairs and you can sleep it off." He helped his partner to his feet and the two men slowly climbed the stairs to the second floor. Hutch barely had time to get Starsky settled into bed before the brunet was sound asleep. He smiled fondly as he brushed back a wayward curl. He gazed at his partner's face for several minutes before turning and going back downstairs.

He found Rachel in the living room carefully wrapping some family heirlooms to pack for moving.

"Here, let me help you with that," Hutch volunteered. He took a beautiful silver menorah from Rachel and began wrapping it with care.

"That belonged to David's great grandmother," Rachel told him. "She died in the camps but the family managed to get some of the family treasures to relatives here in America before the Nazis invaded Poland. It will pass down

to David after I'm gone."

Hutch nodded without replying. He knew that Starsky's family had barely managed to survive the holocaust. Even though Hutch's forefathers migrated to America from Norway and Sweden, he still had some German relatives in his family tree and he felt a deep shame over their part in the worst atrocity in history. Especially since he had met Starsky and they had become best friends in every sense of the word. Starsky didn't flaunt his heritage but he wasn't ashamed of it either.

"I will miss this house but it is time to move on," Rachel said "This neighborhood is no longer the same as it was when Michael and I moved here. It's no longer safe here."

"Things change," Hutch said "There's nothing anyone can do to stop that."

"Sometimes things change too fast." Rachel sighed heavily as she finished wrapping a set of silver candlesticks and placed them in a box sitting on the floor in front of the sofa. "David and Nicky were both born here." She looked at Hutch "Did David ever tell you that he had a baby sister?"

"No," Hutch said in a surprised voice. He thought he knew everything there was to know about his best friend and partner. Apparently he was wrong. There were still some secrets buried in Starsky's past.

"Her name was Emily. She was born when Nicky was two. She only lived for a few days. After that, the doctors said I couldn't have any more babies. I thought that losing her was the worst pain I would ever feel…but that was before I lost Nicky." Another heavy sigh slipped past her lips. "It's not right. A child should never die before their parents. Losing a child is the worst kind of pain there is because it is literally losing a part of yourself. I pray every day that David will never feel that kind of pain."

She smiled softly and raised her hand to brush away a single tear. "Enough of the past. You must think that I'm just a foolish old woman who's rambling on because she's leaving her home."

"No, I don't think that at all," Hutch told her "It's natural to reminisce at a time like this."

"Take care of him for me, Ken. I know how close the two of you are," Rachel said "I may not be around much longer and I want to make the most of the time we have left."

"I promise. I'll always be there." Hutch told her

"I know you will, dear," Rachel said "The two of you have something very special. I knew that the first time I saw the two of you together. You're the brother he should have had…not Nicky." At Hutch's startled look, she smiled and said, "I know what Nicky had become. A mother always knows her son even when that son tries to hide his true nature from her. I looked the other way because Nicky was all I had left. David was so far away. I didn't want to drive Nicky away and lose him too."

"You can't blame yourself for the way Nicky turned out. I'm sure you did the best you could."

"I could have done better. For a long time after Michael died I just lived from day to day and left Nicky pretty much on his own. I wasn't as strict with him as I was with David. I let him get away with things that I punished David for. I can't change that but, I can admit my mistakes."

"Why don't you rest?" Hutch suggested "I can finish this for you."

"Thank you, dear. I think I will lay down for a little while." With a grateful smile Rachel turned and walked back to her downstairs bedroom. Hutch smiled as the door closed behind her. She was a remarkable woman. He saw a lot of his partner in her. That same stubborn pride, the same sage wisdom, the dry humor, the same fierce loyalty.

The days ahead of all of them may be clouded with uncertainty about the future. But, they would prevail. They would go on. All three of them would survive and live to fight another day. Hutch felt privileged to be included in the Starsky circle of friends, of family. Part of a legacy that would never die.

THE END


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